


Guns and Bow Ties

by LunaRaven09040



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Butt Plugs, Dildos, Guns, Killing, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Stiles Stilinski, Oral Sex, Organized Crime, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, Top Derek Hale/Bottom Stiles Stilinski, phone sex (kind of)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2018-11-04 18:20:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 84,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10996377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaRaven09040/pseuds/LunaRaven09040
Summary: The Hale Family Crime Syndicate is one of the most well known and dangerous in the world. Stiles has been obsessed with them since he was a kid, but after his mom died and he moved away, he forgot about them.Now he is a detective, working out of Portland on run of the mill cases. When he gets a lead on the Hale Family, he is determined to chase it down.Derek Hale is the enforcer and heir of the Hale Family, an ancient old werewolf pack with ties to every part of society there is. He is in charge of making problems disappear and ensuring they don't come back. But as an Alpha and heir to the family, he needs a mate. One that is loyal to his pack and everything they stand for.Stiles can never be that, but he also never expected their world to be so complicated. Especially when it's wrapped up in his feelings and his past. Even the goddamn bow ties are involved.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Aaaaaaaand I'M BACK. For those that read my last story, y'all I have missed you. Life is a crazy thing but I am glad to be back. 
> 
> For newcomers, WELCOME! My last story was very niche so I am pretty damn pumped to be getting back on board writing something more fandom friendly. (I say as I write about a crime family.) Tags will be added as I write, so always check them! 
> 
> Whoever you are, I am glad you are here. Let's go on an adventure. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

**Chapter 1**

* * *

 

“I am going to die. He is going to kill me and I am going to die.” Stiles whispered to himself, hiding underneath the rusted bed.

He didn’t know why he took this job sometimes. So fine, a desk job would probably result in him not-so-accidentally starting his cubicle on fire. And his hands twitched too much to be artistic in any real way.

But that didn’t mean he needed to be a detective. Except he loved it. He used to want to follow his father and be a cop.

But his body, while strong, wasn’t meant for hard field action. And his hand-to-hand combat skills could save his life in desperate situations, but it wouldn’t win him any trophies.

His brain however, made this the perfect job for him. Strategy and seeing through criminal minds was his forte; and he was damn proud of that. He was a fine Omega.

So how he managed to get into this particular situation was beyond him. He felt nasty shivers snake their way up his body when the sound of a chainsaw ripped through the house.

Rupert Bradshaw, 37, wife, no kids, accountant, had murdered said wife two weeks ago and fled Portland. He’d strangled her and then slit her throat. She was lucky to have died then because afterward he took a bat to her body and beat it until they had to identify her using DNA.

The case was straightforward and Stiles had only been assigned to it because the second he fled Oregon, he was out of their jurisdiction. Stiles just so happened to have friends in Seattle, which is where he ended up.

Only he’d been the only one stupid enough to track him at night with no back up to an abandoned building with creaky floorboards. Dammit all. He heard the faint sound of cackling beneath the hum of the motor as Bradshaw slowly moved toward the room Stiles was in.

The Omega jumped, almost smacking his head into the bed springs when the man slammed his foot into the door, kicking the rickety thing open like a toy. He pushed his chest into the ground, his black bow tie smearing with dust. He really should have taken that thing off.

“Where are ya, lil guy?” His voice was shaky and dark. He had completely snapped, Stiles wouldn’t be surprised if he had a brain tumor considering the sudden change of behavior.

Accountants didn’t normally crunch numbers one day to slaughtering their wives the next.

He felt his blood rush to his heart and he thanked god the man had a chainsaw, he would have heard his heartbeat in a second otherwise.

But in all reality, he was probably going to find him anyway. Stiles closed his eyes and visualized the house’s layout, estimating his probability of reaching the front door.

In was down a flight of stairs and around several corners. A knife he could escape from, maybe even a gun considering the walls.

But Stiles knew the second he bolted from underneath the bed, Bradshaw would bury that grizzly chain right into his spine. He took a deep breath anyway.

If the man kneeled down, Stiles would run. It was his only choice. At the very least his scent blockers were in full effect.

A gun shot suddenly rang out, followed by a bellow of pain and Bradshaw fell to his knees. Stiles felt his entire body tense up.

There had been no “Seattle PD!” No shouting of rights and charges. Whoever had shot Bradshaw was not a friend.

The man fell forward and Stiles watched as two large boots stepped into view. Whoever it was must have caught Bradshaw, squeezing his neck or face, going from the cry of pain that he let out.

Stiles focused on the boots, steel-toed shit kickers, glossy black so that he could almost see his reflection. And other than the bitter beta scent coming off Bradshaw, Stiles smelt nothing.

Scent blockers were used exclusively by law enforcement, medical personal, military, and other special cases. Stiles doubted all of those, which suggested illegal possession, but that didn’t help too much seeing as they had already shot someone.

“N-No,” Bradshaw hacked, spewing blood that landed just shy of the boots.

“You killed my best friend you prick!” The shrill voice of a female came from behind the boots and a pair of red stilettos stepped into the room.

Stiles’ mind flew a mile per minute. This was a retribution kill. Whoever Lily Bradshaw’s best friend was, she had some sinister connections.

Rupert starting sputtering once more and Stiles guessed he’d been shot in the throat but he couldn’t get anything coherent out before the female screamed again.

Another shot fired and the boot man threw Bradshaw’s body onto the ground. He landed on his back, his head lolling to face Stiles.

The Omega refused to watch the light fade from his eyes, more focused on the two feet in front of him. This was supposed to be a simple case. Of course Stiles’ luck would never allow that.

“Thanks Derek.” The female sighed, her voice watery. He heard a deep grunt in reply.

“We’re family.” Good lord baby Buddha, that voice. It was deep and husky and did things to Stiles’ Omega instincts that he would later beat down with a led pipe if he had to. Inappropriate Stiles.

The girl laughed a little, the sound not entirely reaching the emotion. “Guess I’m lucky to be a Hale then. Lily deserved better.”

Stiles’ mind was thrown out of the gutter and his body froze, icicles dancing on his cells as the name played over in his mind.

 _Hale_. There was only one family with that name who would be capable of getting their hands on illegal scent blockers and be able to easily shoot a man in the head.

The Hale Family Crime Syndicate. Stiles didn’t know whether to scream out of fear or joy because he’d just hit the jackpot.

And Mr. Sex Voice was none other than Derek Hale, enforcer and heir of the HFCS. Stiles may have failed in apprehending the suspect, but he was getting a gold star if he had to go out and buy them himself.

This, was too good to be true.

~ ~ ~

“No way in hell Stiles, drop it.” Jordan Parrish said, eying the Omega and shaking his stupid blonde head. Stiles was grumbling, hands fidgeting by his sides while he thought of how to convince him.

“Parrish, come on, this is the first lead the department has had on the Hale’s in years. I was there, I should get the case.”

“It was a coincidence that you were there, and had they found you, your body would be next to Bradshaw’s in the morgue. Your dad would skin me alive if I let you anywhere near this case.” He said, scratching his head.

Stiles groaned. His dad wouldn’t even need to know if he wasn’t the Sheriff. The only reason Stiles wasn’t in Seattle right now was because John insisted that he get experience in Portland first. And now that the perfect opportunity rose its wolfy head, Stiles was getting the boot.

“They are dangerous Stiles, the most notorious werewolf crime syndicate in the country. Guns, sex, small businesses, they’ve even got their hands in fucking politics. And to this day, we’ve never been able to charge them with anything but petty misdemeanors done by their kids. Departments in every major city have tabs on them and still nothing. You’re smart, smarter than is good for you, but this is under FBI jurisdiction first and foremost, including your lead.”

“Shit,” Stiles mumbled, messing with his green bow tie. He always wore them, ever since his mom said they were her favorite.

“For now, look into the serial burglar case that I left on your desk.” Parrish said, dropping his eyes down to the papers in his hand, effectively dismissing Stiles.

The Omega didn’t bother replying, not even up to his usual snarky habits. He knew all about the Hales, had ever since his father sat at the dining room table agonizing over their files.

He sort of hero worshipped them as a kid, imagining this huge family willing to kill and die for each other. A family that controlled the country and protected the weak.

He’d grown wiser real quick the second he let any of that slip to John. The man had drilled the cruel reality into his head. But that didn’t mean his fascination had faded.

So Stiles slumped over to his small office, one that he bargained with his dad for. He didn’t currently have a partner, and he often worked on cases alone.

Him not being in the field too often made that possible. But it did mean he got base level cases with little danger. Bradshaw had been a huge exception, and look how that ended.

He sunk into his chair which creaked in mocking protest as Stiles eyed his luke warm coffee and manila folder. This was going to be a long day.

~ ~ ~

ONE MONTH LATER

“Dad, we should really get going,” Stiles said softly. He knew this was a hard weekend. It always was. The anniversary of his mom’s death was tomorrow and like every year, they would drive to Beacon Hills, California where her grave was.

It was actually his home town, but his dad moved them out of there once she died, unable to live there without her. Going back was hell on the both of them.

John was like a ghost as he stepped into the hallway, eyes sunken in even as a smile curved on his lips.

“Alright, let’s go.”

The Drive was mostly quiet and uneventful. They were both lost in their thoughts.

Claudia Stilinski had died of frontotemporal dementia when Stiles was eight.

She had been so young for it to happen, so healthy and alive that the first time she hit Stiles, he didn’t believe it happened. She’d been hallucinating, but the sting on his cheek had been very real.

Her illness affected her behavior mostly, and Stiles had to watch the bright woman who had raised him turn into a dark husk of a human being.

When she was there, and could remember his name, it was like she was never sick. But no matter how Stiles clung to her in those moments, she’d always revert back.

The Omega had been too caught up in his own confusion and grief to notice how his dad had suffered. He couldn’t imagine what it must have been like.

But watching John’s white knuckles on the steering wheel and red-rimmed eyes trained on the highway, Stiles could get a small taste of that pain.

His parents had a soul bond, one where mates were drawn together like magnets and couldn’t be kept apart. The fact that John was alive was a miracle in itself.

And while Stiles had no real idea what happened when people died, he knew his dad wanted to be with her. He only stuck around for Stiles, had promised Claudia he would. Stiles didn’t know how to carry that guilt around with him most of the time, so other than this weekend, he never thought about it, refused to.

But as the mile markers flew by and they passed the “Welcome to Beacon Hills” sign, he let his mind slip back into those thoughts. He shouldered the pain they caused, bearing the weight with his father was the only thing he could really do.

He just hoped it was enough.

~ ~ ~

_Claudia Stilinksi_

_1972-2004_

It was a painfully simple carving, a big sunflower underneath the words saying more than any other quote could.

It matched his black bow tie, the one with bright sunflowers littering the material. It was his mom’s favorite, the one she bought for him the day he was born.

“I just knew you’d look great in them so I had to get you your first,” she would say. This was the only day out of the year he wore it, and it made pain race through his chest every time he weaved it around his neck.

And just like always, Stiles leaned forward, touched his hand to her headstone, and said “I love you mom.” His voice shook, the tears traveled down his cheeks, and he stood up to leave.

His dad would stay there all night, and Stiles let him have his privacy, knowing he needed his own. He patted the Alpha’s shoulder once and shakily walked away.

Beacon Hills was reasonably small, even so, he had made sure to rent a car when they got there so he wouldn’t have to walk everywhere.

He decided to drop by the café his mom used to frequent, figuring some coffee would do him some good.

The place was small, and rustic. The tables were a shiny black with legs that didn’t totally touch the ground at the same time.

Old pictures hung from the walls and warm lighting cascaded down from stained glass lamps all over. But the best thing was the smell.

The scent of rich coffee beans drifted through the air, tinged with mocha, vanilla, chocolate, and steaming milk. Stiles was human and the smell was powerful, it might knock a werewolf on their ass.

But as he ordered and wondered over to a seat in the corner, he noticed many among the crowd. They were easy to spot, their scents much deeper, unlike the light perfume quality human scents had.

All eyes ghosted over him but he didn’t flinch. It wasn’t unusual, considering the size of the town. He was an outsider and it was clearly noticeable.

Omegas were equals in every sense at this point, but there were still old fashioned ideals that floated around. He wished he was permitted to take his scent blockers off duty, but there was no way.

Take them too much and he could trigger a heat, that was the last thing he needed right now. Plus it was illegal, but that was beside the point.

“S-uh-Stiles?” He kept in his laugh as he walked over to pick up his coffee. The girl behind the counter had a huge smile on her face, her brown hair warm and her eyes much the same.

“Are you here for the Hale’s matching party?” She asked, voice bubbly. If Stiles had sipped his drink, he would have just spit it back out.

“E-Excuse me?” He sputtered, eyes stunned. That was not a name he’d been expecting to hear here, especially so casually.

“Hm, guess not then. Well, enjoy your coffee!” She said with a parting smile. Stiles nearly shot his arm out but controlled himself.

“Wait! What do you mean the Hale’s matching party?” She turned, looking a bit suspicious. What in the world?

“If you don’t know about it, I can’t tell you. I shouldn’t have said anything in the first place. Forget I said it okay?” She said and winked, but the gesture was a brush-off if he’d ever seen one.

He shot a look at her name tag, needing to remember this girl: _Allison_. He walked back to his seat quickly, grabbing some sugar on his way and noticed some increased attention from the other customers. Every werewolf in there, and probably some humans, had heard the entire exchange.   

He knew the Hale case wasn’t his, but it had been a month and for all of their attempts, they’d been unable to track much.

Not that Stiles had snooped through the files, nope, he would never. But if this Allison girl had connections to the Hale’s, it wouldn’t hurt to find out what. And a distraction was exactly what he needed right now.

First things first though, why the hell were the Hale’s having a party in this town of all places?

~ ~ ~

“Oh you must be in for the party,” the woman grinned. She was older, her grey hair cradling her face gently as she scanned his candy and drink. This time, Stiles played along.

“That’s right. It seems to be pretty popular.” The woman’s eyes lit up and she tilted her head up laughing. Stiles immediately mimicked her, chuckling good naturedly.

“Well of course it is, Derek needs a mate and his momma is determined to find him one.” She said, slowly placing his things in a bag.

Stiles’ mind flew to his knowledge of the Hales. It was clear she was talking about the HFCS, no one in their right mind would be named Derek Hale other than the man himself.

Talia Hale, Derek’s mom, was the matriarch and Alpha of the entire family. She called all the shots and was said to the most vicious among werewolves.

Where Derek was menacing and sinister in his ability to kill, like a shadow, his mother was a volcano, boiling with rage and aggression at anyone who challenged her.

There was so little information about their personal lives though, so Stiles had little to go on. Still, he couldn’t blow it. The way this woman talked about them, it was like she was a family friend.

“About time don’t ya think?” Stiles smiled and giggled a bit. He didn’t even know Derek was single and here he was, playing like he was in the running to change that.

Matching parties were indeed old fashioned but many still happened, hoping to concentrate scents in one place so matches could be organically formed. Or so they said. The fact that the Hales were having one was both a surprise but also not.

“Ha, it certainly is. He’s been so busy lately. But they take care of all of us down here, and I’m sure you too, considering you got yourself and invitation.” She winked as Stiles slid his card into the chip reader.

He was running out of time but his head was spinning and it was hard for him to focus. _Adderall, don’t fail me now_.

“It’s an honor,” Stiles admonished, “but do you know how the weather will be? I wouldn’t want to get my clothes dirty. I’m planning on making quite the impression.” Stiles would have slapped himself by now, but he needed to put on airs. It seemed to do the trick because the woman looked thoughtful.

It was April so the question was fair, even if this was California. This would be the only clue Stiles got to where the hell this party was happening.

“It might get a little rainy, but the path up to the Mansion is always pretty rough. They have the escorts of course so I think you’ll be just fine. They must have umbrellas on them, I’ve never personally been, but Alpha Hale sure knows how to throw a party. Good luck sweetheart, though I don’t think you’ll need it.”

The smile she gave Stiles was so genuinely kind that it threw him a bit, especially on his mom’s anniversary.

This woman did not seem like the type to hang around with a crime family. Even so, Stiles couldn’t let that cloud his judgement.

He nodded at her, letting his eyes go wide with practiced happiness as he got his receipt, grabbed his bag of junk food, and headed out the door.

That woman had just given him a pot of gold and while the town’s relationship with the Hales was really starting to freak him out, one thing was for sure: Stiles had a party to go to.

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, we back. Guys, this isn't important at all, but I really want some chocolate covered strawberries. Late night visit to Walmart? :P
> 
> I feel fuzzy by the positive response to the first chapter, thank you all! <3  
> On to the show!
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 2

* * *

 

Stiles realized he was maybe, just a little bit, in over his head. He didn’t know where the party was except for “the Mansion” and he realized he had no clue what day it was on.

So when he got back to the house his dad still owned, the stale air rushing through his lungs like a slap to his face, reality hit hard.

He’d been overly enthusiastic back at the convenience store, but Stiles wasn’t an idiot. If the Hales were having any sort of gathering, it would be exclusive and security would be tight.

He wasn’t getting in without an invitation and probably a fingerprint check. Sneaking in was out of the question, werewolves being what they were. He would be heard a mile out.

So he drank some of his Mountain Dew, ate a bit of his Kit Kat, and stared at his laptop. Stiles really only had one option, otherwise the lead would go to waste or he would be murdered.

Put in-between a rock and a hard place, he decided to email Parrish. He said something to the extent of “Hales having a matching party? Honestly Parrish, I’m hurt you didn’t tell me. Put me into the loop with the FBI because I know for a fact they don’t have an Omega agent that can infiltrate that party. Let me knooooow ;)”

The last part was pure luck. It had been maybe a year since they passed the extension of the Equal Rights Amendment, which allowed Omegas to join law enforcement of any kind.

But Omegas were naturally gifted in the fine arts, medical professions, and education. Stiles would never deny his own family and care oriented nature, even if he’d chosen a job less suited for his sex.

He’d brought doughnuts for everyone at the department enough times for them to be fat and happy, which always made his chest beam.

But this is where he belonged, and he was going to use his Omega status to prove that, not make him the exception.

Stiles wasn’t remotely surprised when his phone started ringing not even five minutes after he had pressed send.

“Helloooooo,” he said brightly, the phone pressed hard into his head. Stiles might be excited but that also translated into anxiety. He really wanted this case.

“Stiles, how?” Parrish’s voice was strained, like he hadn’t slept much and the coffee was about to kill him.

“I’m in Beacon Hills with my dad and-“

“You’re what?” He interrupted and Stiles gave his phone a weird look. Parrish knew they did this every year.

“It’s my mom’s anniversary, you know that.”

“You used to live in Beacon Hills? Your father never said that.”

“Okaaay, well the more you know. Back on point, add me into the FBI detail that’s investigating the Hales. I need phone numbers and fast.”

“No Stiles, you don’t get it. Beacon Hills is home base for the Hales, it’s where the pack originated. The whole town worships them, you two need to leave, now. Jesus Christ, how did John never tell me?”

“It’s not something he likes to talk about. That makes sense though, no one seems bothered by the name. But does that mean the citizens are involved? Because this screams cult Parrish, and we can’t just leave that alone.”

Stiles felt a small pang of pain pulse through his head, this day was starting to wear on him.

“The right people are working on it Stiles. I appreciate the effort but the answer is still no.” Parrish sighed and Stiles felt a swell of frustration.

“You either help me get into contact with the right people or I will find them myself. I know where the party is, I guarantee they don’t. I also have a built-in reason to be there, I’m the only Omega on the force right now. But I can’t sneak in alone without getting killed. Neither of us is getting in without the other Parrish, so help me or make me do the work myself and you can get chewed out by the higher ups. Make a choice because I am officially a part of this case.”

Silence fell over the conversation and seconds ticked by.

“Dammit Stiles.” Parrish groaned and Stiles’ lips peeled back in a triumphant smile.  Stiles: 1, Parrish: 0.

~ ~ ~

 

“You sure about this kid?” Chris Argent stood by the door, arms crossed with a deep frown on his face. The man was leading this particular investigation, and while Stiles had seen him around, working with him was new. Obviously, he didn’t know how reckless Stiles was.

“Absolutely! As long as you deal with my dad, I’m good to go.” The party was tomorrow, The FBI had found that out at least. But that meant his dad would know something was up, they were meant to head back in the morning.

But the team was having him hole up in a small, unassuming hotel. They would pick his father up, explain the situation, and keep him from freaking out.

“Alright, well let’s go, we need to brief you.” The Alpha said, waving him over to follow. He seemed pleasant enough, but anytime the word “Hale” was brought up, he would scowl with an indignant glint in his eye.

 They walked into the adjacent room where computers had been set up everywhere and several agents stood around, working or eyeing Stiles.

A woman sat in front of the monitors and she suddenly swung around in her chair. Her hair was a dark brown, held up in a messy pony tail while her face held bulky glasses that wrapped around her head.

“Stiles! Nice to meet ya, my name is Zoe Hange. I’m the IT specialist for the unit. Sit down,” she offered and Stiles felt momentarily comforted by her Beta scent.

Working with many Alphas wasn’t usually a problem, but the whole situation had him feeling a little high strung.

He took a seat on the bed, liking the way it sunk beneath him.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“Well, we knew the party was happening somewhere in Beacon Hills but they have compounds all over. The Mansion is the only one of its name. It is the Hales publically known yet privately kept family house, and they often have gatherings there, even if no reporter is allowed in or anywhere near. This matching party was announced months ago, persuading people to send in their applications. Those that get chosen receive official invitations, and that is our largest problem. There is no way we can get our hands on one, and we don’t even know what they look like to attempt a forgery. So our only option is you showing up there by accident.”

Stiles squinted his eyes; that sounded like a disaster waiting to happen. She laughed lightly at him, noticing his doubt.

“Don’t worry, we are going to stage a crash. You are from out of town so you don’t know the land very well which will make this believable. The story is you were out camping, went on a late night ride on your four wheeler, and crashed into a tree. You’ll show up at the Mansion asking for medical attention, and this little pill,” she held up a small grey tablet, “is going to stimulate pre-heat symptoms, making your natural pheromones a tad stronger. The crash will get you in, and the pill will make them want to let you stay. This is a little risky for obvious reasons, but if it doesn’t work, no harm done.”

Stiles was nodding along with her, but caught a loop hole in the story.

“That means I need an injury worthy of ‘medical attention,’” he air quoted, “and they’ll smell make-up instantly.”

She frowned, having thought of that but there was only one real option.

Stiles paused, “Let me guess, you want to actually go camping, actually crash, and actually get injured?”

Hange got a goofy smile on her face, and as strange as she was, Stiles decided he liked her.

“If you’re not opposed to a little bloodshed for the cause?” She shrugged, but the glimmer in her eye didn’t disappear.

“Not at all,” Stiles said confidently, straightening his bow tie with a grin. “Let’s get things going.” There went his over-enthusiasm again, getting him into situations he really shouldn’t be in.

~ ~ ~

Stiles realized this was a long shot, and so did everyone else on the team. But when investigating the Hales, everything sort of was.

They had no layout of the Mansion, and no guess list. Stiles was going in blind and he was starting to feel the coil of anxiety bloom in his belly.

He was given an old truck, which he promptly rubbed himself all over to give it his scent. The Hales would most likely not check it, but it wouldn’t hurt.

He had a backpack with camping supplies and a dingy little tent. They had brought a four wheeler and strapped it to the back with a ramp to help him unload it once he got to the camping grounds.

He was bugged, of course, but they were small and hidden deep within his clothes. The audio would be fuzzy, but they weren’t risking getting caught.

Otherwise, Stiles was to explore as much as he could, mingle with people if possible, and report back everything he experienced.

It was messy, but the Hales were not to be infiltrated by anyone. If Stiles was caught, they’d let him go, only to find and kill him later.

Getting injured just meant Stiles wouldn’t have to bother with a fake story that could be easily seen through. He just had to make sure it was good enough.

Everything was in place when Zoe shot him an enthusiastic thumbs up before he headed out. It was afternoon so Stiles had a good amount of time to get there, get set up, and prepare.

He drove down the spiraling roads, letting his thoughts drift to his dad. It was about the time they would be picking him up, explaining the situation, and probably tying him to a chair.

John was going to flip. The anniversary of his wife’s death, and his son’s might be the very next day. He’d have to take him to dinner later, if he managed to survive.

Stile grabbed the volume control and twisted it loud, letting Def Leopard blare through the old speakers. Might as well enjoy the ride.

~ ~ ~

_I’m an idiot_ , Stiles thought, staring up at the roof of his tent. The last twenty four hours had been a mix of anxiety, mind-numbing boredom, and a pathetic attempt at sleep. Oh, and he was starting to smell himself now that the pill was working. It was subtle but definitely there.

Getting the four wheeler down was easy enough, though he almost ran over his toe. Traitor. Well, he was going to wreck the thing so maybe he was the traitor.

After riding it to a good spot, setting up the tent, and relaxing for the night, the anxiety and boredom took over. The Hales would probably inspect his camp site so no radios allowed.

By the next afternoon, Stiles had been chomping his nails, ready to go. He had taken a small hike, spreading footsteps around to make it look like he was out there for a reason. But there was only so much you can do in the forest alone.

 He imagined Omegas from all around the world, getting dressed in hundred dollar dresses and suits, ready to overflow the Hale Mansion.

And here he was, wearing tattered basketball shorts, a black t-shirt, with his sunflower bow tie tucked safely into his pocket. Oh yes, and he was about to intentionally crash into a tree. What was his life?

He checked his phone, seeing that it was 9:00pm. The party had been going on for an hour and it was show time for Stiles and his poor body.

He would seem like an idiot, riding his four wheeler at night in an unknown forest, but it wasn’t far-fetched enough to be unbelievable. Idiots did indeed exist, and it would give Stiles an edge.

He looked over at the helmet he was supposed to wear. He wanted to get mildly injured, not die. But Stiles didn’t think that matched the story well enough.

Someone that woke up late for some idiotic fun didn’t care about helmets. He would just have to make sure he fell successfully.

He left his tent, making sure it would look like he had spent a good amount of time in it, his sleeping bag rumbled up and thrown to the side.

He used his flashlight and walked out to the four wheeler. Then, he let his ADHD brain take over. He hadn’t even taken Adderall.

Ironically, this is something Stiles would have completely done back in his teens. The thought made him feel giddy as he started the thing up, flicked on the headlights, and settled down onto it.

And then he was off. He started slowly, feeling a real rush of excitement as the wind began to brush over his skin.

Navigating the trees was simple, so long as he didn’t go too fast. That was going to change. But he made sure to pay attention to the tracks.

He wanted to make it seem like he got cocky, starting to go fast only after he took it slow for a while. The wind whipped around his head, reminding him that he didn’t have a helmet.

Stiles started going downhill and that’s when things started getting difficult. Dodging the trees was tricky but he could feel his crash coming up.

He needed to make it look like he lost control. What he didn’t expect, was a squirrel that ran in front of his tires.

And just like that, Stiles swerved. Nothing was fake about this crash. Not the way the tires grinded into the forest floor, or the way the thing started to flip, and especially not the way Stiles was thrown. That was all very real.

He had expected it to hurt, had mentally prepared for the impact. But something about the surprise aspect of it made it worse.

His body whirled in the air and smacked into a tree. He fell to the ground, only to have gravity roll him a few more feet down the hill.

The distant sound of his ATV crashing to a stop came soon after. The dizziness swooned over his vision, making him nauseous despite it being pitch black.

Stiles let out a low groan as he slowly tried moving his body. The eerie silence of the night made him feel exposed.

Thankfully, he could feel all of his limbs, think coherently, and he didn’t think he had anything sticking out of him.

As far as intention-not-so-intentional crashes went, he gave it an A+. _Parrish is buying me $50 worth of doughnuts after this_.

Stiles slowly began pushing himself up. The camp site had been far from the Mansion, but it would give him a direct route there so he wasn’t too worried about getting lost.

But when a dark growl came from his side, he realized getting lost was the least of his problems. He felt lightheaded but alertness smacked into him real quick.

_Bear_ , was his first thought. But suddenly a light was flashed in his face and his arms flung up to cover his eyes.

“Goddamn boy, you picked the wrong night to do this.” A voice said, sounding amused. Stiles didn’t even have to ask if he was a Hale. Who else would it be? He felt stupid for even considering a bear.

“Right, because intentionally flipping my ATV was definitely what I was trying to do.” The Omega should learn that sarcasm had a time and a place, and surrounded by werewolves was not one of them.

But the irony was too good and Stiles wasn’t necessarily in the right mind. Especially when he started to feel wetness sliding down his cheek.

“Fuck,” he said, not at all faking the pain. He brought his hand down to see bright streaks of blood painting his skin. “Please tell me you live around here and have a phone, because I’m pretty sure mine flew out of my pocket and probably died on the way down.”

He heard growls from all around him and the man chuckled.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know who we are kid.” Stiles felt genuine confusion was over him. The key to lying was finding some sort of truth in what you were saying; Stiles didn’t know these people. Except for their last name, he had no real clue.

It must have reflected in his face because he heard another voice say, “Shit. And he’s an Omega.”

“Um, okay. Well as nice as it would be to know your names, I’m bleeding and my chest doesn’t feel too hot. Do any of you have service? I could use an ambulance.”

“Peter, what do we do?” A female voice this time. The fact that Stiles couldn’t see any of them was starting to get to him.

“We could always-“

“No, we will not.” The authority in the voice was powerful, so much so that Stiles felt the energy in the air shift.

“Alpha,” a choir of voices from all around him said, like a goddamn army. Stiles’ eyes wanted to bulge, but he settled on widened confusion.  

That voice belonged to Talia Hale herself, he knew it. She suddenly stepped into the light, shoulders back and eyes assessing.

“Uh,” Stiles tripped over his words intentionally, “you, you’re T-T”

“My name is Talia Hale sweetheart, what’s yours?” She said warmly, crouching down next to him. She wore a black pant suit, complete with a bright red blouse and thick curls.

The only thing that didn’t match her appearance was her bare feet. But they didn’t take away from the expanse of her presence.

Like everyone else in the world, Stiles had seen picture after picture of her. He had watched interviews and read files, all about this one woman who was now right in front of him.

The queen of a criminal empire had just asked his name.

“Stiles ma’am, Stiles Stilinski.” He let his natural tendency to ramble take hold. “I am so so sorry, I had no idea this was your land. I just couldn’t sleep and this squirrel jumped in front of my ATV and I swerved and flew off and I’m just so sorry I didn’t mean any disrespe-“ She stopped him, holding up a hand with a clam smile.

“We can hear all about it later, I’m just glad you’re okay. For now, let’s get you inside and patched up.” She motioned for others to join her and slowly, a few people stepped forward. “Everyone who is shifted, head back, get dressed, and alert the others that we have a guest. No one is to harm him.”

“But Alpha, the party…”

“Now.” She said simply and the sound of paws battering on the ground followed.

Stiles wearily noticed the others, not bothering to take in any real features, not yet. He needed to look as overwhelmed as he felt.

Two of them hoisted him up and Stiles yelped at the pain in his ribcage.

“Shit, I’m sorry man, got no other choice. My name’s Scott by the way.” One guy said from his side.

“N-Nice to me you, sorry about all this.”

“Nah, don’t worry. The party was getting boring anyway.” Stiles was silent for a pause before he let out a loud groan in response as they slowly began heading to the Mansion

“The Matching Party was tonight wasn’t it? I saw the announcement. Jesus, I can’t believe I’m such an asshole.”

Stiles was playing this in a very specific way. He had no alias because they would undoubtedly look him up the second they could. All of his information was on display so lying was pointless.

He also acted as if he knew the Hales as any other citizen did, an upstanding werewolf family with a paw in everything.

Of course, everyone was aware of their criminal activity, at least via gossip. But the Media sure as shit didn’t cover that. And the citizens didn’t totally buy it, the “innocent until proven guilty” clause in their favor. Stiles would be the one to prove it.

But first, he was going to act every bit the dimwit, newbie detective he needed to be to sell this. Hopefully, that would be enough.

The guy laughed good-naturedly.

“Seriously Stiles, it was Stiles right?” He asked and Stiles murmured an agreement. “We won’t let someone die out here. And you’re an Omega, not helping you goes against everything we are.”

Stiles figured he meant the werewolf part of themselves. Hurting Omegas went against instinct for everyone but for werewolves, it was particularly important. He wondered if that applied to their underground activity.

They fell silent and Stiles tried to focus on the surroundings and not on his shifting ribs. There wasn’t much to see except darkness and was thankful werewolves had much better night vision, otherwise, he might be hitting more than one tree tonight.

Eventually, the monster that is the Hale Mansion came into view. They were coming up on the side of it but it was no less impressive.

The media photos did the building no justice. It was old fashioned, almost gothic in its architecture. Lights hung from the porch which circled the entire first floor.

From what Stiles could make out, it was entirely glossy black, with a mix of jagged edges and rounded curves.

And much to Stiles’ horror and intrigue, dozens of people were standing outside, wine glasses in hand and blissfully unaware smiles on their faces.

“Oh my god,” Stiles said, acting like he just couldn’t believe his luck. In a twisted way, he couldn’t

“Don’t worry,” the big guy on the other side of him said but offered little more. Everyone seemed to notice them at once, heads whipping around to face them.

They slowly walked to the stairs, Stiles’ feet barley ghosting over the floor as they carried him up the steps.

He avoided their eyes, looking sheepish. He would get better observations later when staring would be considered normal.

They walked through the double doors and into a huge foyer. Stiles was in awe of everything his eyes caught onto.

The floor was a shiny black tile, the walls covered in original paintings and photos. In front of him sat one of those stair cases that flared at the bottom and spiraled up the walls.

Stiles wouldn’t be remotely surprised if he found a hand painted portrait of the main family somewhere in here. The thought almost made him laugh.

But right now, Stiles was more occupied staring at the man walking down the stairs.

“Mom, wh-“ He cut off, eyes darting to Stiles. Talia Hale stepped forward, eyes shining.

“Derek, the others should have told you. This is Stiles, he crashed up the hill. We’ll be helping him. Did you alert Deaton?”

Derek was silent, his eyes burning into the Omega in front of him. Stiles was speechless himself. There was something unbearably familiar in the Alpha’s green eyes.

And he was definitely an Alpha. The man carried the same air of authority that his mother did, the same powerful stance and intense gaze. It made Stiles want to squirm in all the right ways.

He wore an entirely black suit, including the undershirt and vest which stretched obscenely over his broad shoulders. The red tie that hung from his neck reflected the light as it rested against his solid chest.

_Good. God_.

“Derek,” Talia called again, sounding amused. Stiles blinked, realizing the two had been staring at each other silently for several beats too long.

The Alpha took a breath, seeming to gather himself.

“Deaton is waiting upstairs, follow me.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want more Derek alreadyyyyyy. Dx I hope you all enjoyed that! Next chapter begins the wonderful sexual tension! 
> 
> Remember, comments are like presents to the tiny child inside of me. *Blinks sweetly*   
> See you in the next chapter ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh you fluffies are so wonderful, I hope you know that. It really helps motivate me to write so thank you for the support!
> 
> Note: I do not have a beta! And honestly, I don't think I have the patience for one because I post these the second they are done! So for the sake of speedy updates, forgive my mistakes! 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 3

* * *

 

Stiles wished he had a werewolf nose right about now, so he could smell the Alpha in front of him without sticking his nose in the man’s neck.

The man with a _glorious_ ass and even better back muscles that rolled under the expensive fabric he wore. It was definitely the pill that had him feeling so out of it, he was an agent in the field dammit. He need to start acting like it.

Pain began throbbing in his ribs once his feet hit the stairs and served as a nice distraction. Scott and the big guy helped push him up, but that only made the pain worse and he hissed through his teeth.

He didn’t miss the way Derek’s back tensed, he must have very little trust in him. It made sense, the guy wasn’t called an enforcer for no reason.

The thought that the Alpha in front of him was an assassin, a killer, cleared up his dirty thoughts real quick.

They passed two floors littered with people, going up all the way to the fourth and Stiles was panting like a dog. He was glad the injury was bad enough to persuade their help, but that didn’t make the pain any better.

On the last step, like the person he was, he tripped. His foot caught the edge and he fell forward. The two next to him would have caught him except they didn’t have to.

Before Stiles could even blink, Derek turned on his heel, arms shooting out to catch Stiles’ front. The Omega sputtered but Derek didn’t even hesitate, looping his arm around Stiles’ back and legs to swoop him up against his chest.

Stiles moaned out in pain and Derek squinted down at him, eyes scanning his body like a machine.

“Broken ribs.” He said, throwing dark looks at Scott and the other guy. Stiles was trying not to squirm in pain, pressing his face against Derek’s chest on reflex.

The scent of Alpha hit him so hard he gasped. All people could scent someone’s sex if they were at least a few feet from them. But their personal scent was underneath it, and if you were human, you needed to be close.

It was a dark smell, thick and heady. Stiles bit down hard on his lip, trying not to make any sound but the scent was overwhelming. He wanted it all over him, _inside_ of him.

He was snapped out of it when the pain that was radiating his body suddenly leaked out of him, like it was being physically pulled away.

He jerked back, only to have Derek’s hands squeeze him tighter. Stiles looked up to see the veins on the Alpha’s neck turn black and his eyes bulged.

Very few Alpha’s were capable of taking away another’s pain. It shook him that such a person, a murderer, could be one of them.

Derek was silent, and Stiles had a feeling he didn’t like to talk. The man pulled him closer, and Stiles could swear he was scenting him.

Derek turned back around and continued to carry him. There was zero strain in how he walked, it was as if Stiles weighed nothing. He suspected Derek was at least five inches taller than him.

But even so, Stiles was all gangly limbs and he’d been told by more than a few people that he smelled rotten. In fact, not one had ever complimented his scent.

Not that he knew why he was thinking about any of this right now, he was supposed to be focusing on his job.

The party had apparently been kept to the lower three levels because the top floor was silent. Derek carried him over to a small room, pushing the door open with his foot.

A man wearing a grey button down stood inside. He had a dusting of a goatee and mustache over his dark skin that was paired with a kind, if impersonal, set of eyes. Stiles immediately classified him as a Beta.

Derek strolled to the bed, bending down to settle Stiles onto it. The pain raced back but Stiles pulled away from Derek before the Alpha could take the pain from him again.

Stiles couldn’t forget, this was the same man who had been wearing those black boots. He couldn’t let that scent get to his head, he certainly wouldn’t be overly accepting of his kindness.

Derek continued to stand close though, staring down at him. Stiles awkwardly hugged himself, letting his shoulders cave in as he got back into his role.

“Alan, thank you for seeing him.” Talia said, walking inside with that same easy smile. Her feet were now covered with shiny black boots with a small heel.

Stiles was simultaneously calmer and more stressed at her arrival. The man, Alan, gave her a nod and smile, grabbing a bag and walking over to Stiles.

“My name is Dr. Alan Deaton, good to meet you.” He said, offering his hand. Stiles reached out, noticing his hand was shaking involuntarily as he shook the other.

“Stiles Stilinski, thank you for seeing me.”

“I’m going to need you to lie down, if you can.”

Stiles took a deep breath and started leaning back, whimpering through his lips as pain pumped through him. The cushion of the mattress felt like heaven once he could relax on it.

Derek watched him the whole time, hands clenched. Deaton leaned over him and started palpitating his ribcage. Stiles hissed in pain and saw a flash of red from the corner of his eye.

Derek made a gruff sound before turning and stalking out of the room. Talia chuckled and Stiles really wished he could see her face. She was an odd one.

“Alpha,” a bubbly female voice said, “a moment of your time?” Stiles couldn’t see but heard the softening tap of heels leaving the room.

“An ATV crash, huh?” Deaton asked, and Stiles could hear the curiosity. He needed to be careful around this one.

“It was the squirrel’s fault. Well, that and maybe the lack of sunlight,” Stiles laughed but immediately coughed in pain. “Would really appreciate a werewolf’s healing ability right now.”

The small amount of suspicion slipped out of the doctor’s eyes and he smiled slightly.

“A few weeks, and you’ll be as good as new. The cut on your head isn’t too deep, just a lot of blood. A couple of stiches on those.” He trailed off, prodding the area on his head gently. “And without an x-ray, I’d say you have about three broken ribs but none of them are out of place. Anything else hurting on you?” He asked, straightening up.

Stiles thought for a second, “Other than general aches, no. I’m guessing my body has some pretty sizable bruising?” He hadn’t exactly looked in a mirror.

He also wondered if the small radio bug in his underwear was still functional. Guess he would find out later.

Deaton looked over him and nodded, about to speak when the door suddenly opened and Talia walked in, Derek following.

The look on Derek’s face had grown sinister, not exactly angry, but something in his eyes had changed. _This_ was the enforcer.

“Stiles hun, some of our pack went to check on your things at your camp site. They found your wallet,” Derek lifted the folded green thing up, “I hope you don’t mind but we snooped a bit. You’re living in Portland?”

Stiles struggled to look at her, not actually able to sit up on his own. He was completely surrounded by Hales and yet only now was he starting to feel vulnerable.

“Yes ma’am, been living there since I was eight.”

Derek walked over to him, his bulky frame looming. He raised his big hand, letting the wallet fall open. His badge flashed him.

“Detective.” Derek said, not a question. Not even really a statement, it sounded more like an accusation. Stiles pretended not to notice.

He smiled softly, gazing down like he was bashful.

“Yeah, I’m 22 so I only started a year ago.”

“What brought you up here?” Talia asked, sounding genuinely curious. Stiles could see their roles clearly.

Talia, despite her kindness, was calculated. She was not intimidated in the least by the badge in his wallet and her demeanor, fake or not, never wavered in the slightest.

Derek on the other hand was like a hunter, eyes boring down at him in more than one way. Someone less trained than Stiles might think it was merely an intense personality, but the Omega knew better.

Derek was watching his expression, body language, everything. Any slip up and he would notice. It made Stiles feel hot and he shifted his legs, tightening them together self-consciously.

The reaction as very real, but it also helped him pose as a naïve human. But Stiles was every bit as controlled and assessing as the two of them, he didn’t become a detective for nothing.

“The anniversary of my mom’s death was yesterday. My dad and I always come down to visit the grave. He takes a while to grieve though so I thought about leaving him the house for the night. Looks like I’m only causing him more trouble though.” And boy was he ever.

Stiles rubbed the back of his neck, letting guilt was over him. Truth within the lie. It was easier than it should have been.

Derek had placed his wallet back down by his side and Stiles tried not to get distracted by the sheer heat coming off the man.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry to hear that. Then you were a resi-“

Stiles suddenly shot up, screaming in pain as he did. Everyone in the room flung around toward him and Stiles did not miss the claws that extended from Derek’s nails.

The Omega’s hands flew to his ribs as he cried out.

“Ah-I’m sorry. It’s just- please tell me you found a bow tie.” He looked to Derek desperately, eyes wide and pleading.

The wolf seemed to calm down, claws retracting with practiced ease. Jesus, this guy was like a well-oiled machine. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his tie, offering it to him.

Stiles reached for it, ignoring the pain as he let out a real sigh, clutching the bow to his chest.

“Oh, thank god.” They were all looking at him confused. “My mother gave it to me, it’s the most important thing I have.” And that was not a lie.

Talia’s eyes melted and Stiles felt his body tense. That was a look very similar to the one his mother used to give him.

“Alan, stitch him up. Let’s not bombard him with questions. Derek, your guests are waiting downstairs.” She said the last part almost as an afterthought, giving no real care to it.

The Alpha got up, dusted non-existent dust off herself and walked to the door. She turned to look over her shoulder.

“It was wonderful to see you Stiles. Derek has your phone, it’s broken unfortunately. You are more than welcome to stay the night and we’ll take you into town tomorrow.”

And with that she left, not waiting for a reply. Stiles sensed he didn’t actually have a choice and it made him want to smile for some stupid reason. She reminded him of his mom a little too much for comfort.

His flipping out about his mom’s bow tie probably bought him some time, it seemed to sting Talia a little bit. He got out of questioning, for the time being anyway.

“Derek, help him stand please. We need to give him the anesthetic, wrap his ribs, then stich the gash up.” Stiles appreciated the critical nature Deaton seemed to have, it gave his brain a break from having to analyze every little thing.

The Alpha walked over to his front and Stiles was suddenly hyperaware of everything. Derek reached down, wrapping his arms around Stiles’ back and waist to give the most support.

He stood the Omega up like a child.  Stiles shuddered, unable to stop himself, when Derek slid his hands back. His fingertips brushed his sides and Stiles almost whimpered.

_What the actual fuck. He is a murderer for Christ’s sake, get ahold of yourself_. Stiles needed to masturbate with his favorite green dildo, and soon.

Stiles avoided the hell out of Derek’s eyes, which wasn’t hard considering the man’s height. But the Alpha didn’t step away, even when Deaton came up, needle in hand.

“Alright Stiles, this is just to numb the area. You’ll feel a-“

“A little pinch?” Stiles teased, tensing when Deaton’s hands grabbed his scalp. The cut was near his forehead so it wasn’t going to feel too great.

Suddenly Derek reached out, his hand grabbing onto Stiles’ hip softly. The Omega looked up him, their eyes meeting when Derek’s thumb began rubbing back and forth.

Stiles’ breath hitched just as Deaton sank the needle into his skin. He winced, still staring up at Derek who grabbed his hip in earnest.

The Alpha had no real expression on his face, and Stiles bet that was an all-the-time thing. He didn’t mind in the least. Not with the way his eyes conveyed the intensity going on in his head.

Stiles guessed he was giving him some comfort as the liquid was pumped in. Deaton removed the needle, repositioned it, and continued on.

After he was done, he pulled it out and nodded, clearly satisfied.

“Alright, while that sets in, let’s get you bandaged.” He said, turning around to grab the wrapping. “Please remove your shirt.”

Stiles frozen, looking down at the hand squeezing him. Derek let go, only to grab the hem of Stiles’ shirt and began pulling.

Stiles squeaked, reaching down to grab the hem himself so he could rip it off. He did _not_ need the memory of Derek Hale undressing him.

But instead of actually helping him, Derek merely put his hand back on his hip, their skin touching like an electric circuit.

And he whimpered, god dammit he whimpered. Like a twelve year old virgin watching porn for the first time.

His hand flew up to his mouth, his eyes squeezing shut. That felt _good_. Stiles could feel the heat of Derek’s hand leeching through his hip, reaching into and throughout his entire body.

It didn’t even make sense how this felt. All he wanted to do was push himself as close to the Alpha as physically possible.

At the very least, the reaction fit into his constructed persona. His shame was quick to remind him that he was not even remotely faking it though.

His eyes flew open when Derek’s hand got moving. He looked down at the thick palm as it ghosted up, fingertips shifting over his skin.

It stopped over his broken ribs, barley putting any pressure on it but Stiles could feel the burn right down to his core.

He couldn’t help it, he looked up. And he really shouldn’t have because Derek’s eyes were glowing a soft red, slightly glazed over like he was not fully aware of what he was doing.

Stiles bet he had the deer-in-the-headlights version of that look. Derek’s eyes slowly dragged up from where they were gazing at his injury, meeting his own with zero hesitation.

Stiles didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but to the side, someone cleared their throat loudly. Stiles jumped a bit, whipping his head around and only then did he realize his own eyes had been glowing gold. He could feel the tell-tale warmth fading from his irises.

“Alpha, if you don’t mind,” he said to Derek, lifting up the bandages. Stiles was surprised that the man carried no awkwardness, despite their little display. He had an odd knowing in his eyes that made Stiles uneasy though.

Derek dropped his hand down, squeezing Stiles’ hip a bit hard while he looked at him one last them. And with that, he turned and strode out the door, leaving Stiles hot, speechless, and completely dumbfounded.

After that, he was in a daze. Deaton wrapped the ribs gently, giving him some ice to hold over them. Then he gave his head the stiches while Stiles sat like ghost on the chair.

He had no idea what had just happened, and he honestly didn’t know where to start. Derek Hale was the king of bad news; that, he knew. So he decided thinking about him, or what just happened, was off the table.

“Stiles, I’m sure you are aware of this, but you are close to your heat.” Deaton said, cleaning up his supplies. Stiles barley caught himself, almost forgetting about the pills.

“Right, yes. They are irregular but I shouldn’t start within the next few days so don’t worry about me creating chaos. I’m not on suppressants right now which is why the scent smells particularly strong. I hope that doesn’t make anyone uncomfortable.” He shifted, acting embarrassed.

Deaton nodded, accepting his explanation.

“I’m sure they won’t mind. If you are hungry, there is food downstairs. Or you may stay and rest.” Right on cue, his stomach growled.

Stiles couldn’t thank his body enough for playing perfectly into his plan. Luck was finally on his side.

“Food sounds great.” _And Derek is downstairs_ , his mind offered. Stiles internally shot the voice, smiling at Deaton. “Give me a hand with standing and let’s go!”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear my favorite thing about writing Derek/Stiles fanfics are their interactions. UGH, love it. Let me know what you all thought! ^-^ I hope you are all having a good week! I'll be seeing you!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My summer classes have begun! They are accelerated and so I am currently drowning in work. But I needed to get this up! Hope you are all doing well! The week is going to test me, I already know it! Dx
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 4

* * *

 

 

Stiles walked downstairs (hobbled really--his ribs were broken--give him a break) and entered another world.

It was a scene out of The Great Gatsby, complete with a party so lavish it almost disgusted him. He did not belong here. And going by the stares everyone was giving him, it was clearly noticeable. 

To be fair, he was dressed in bloody hangout clothes, so there was that. Everyone else wore elaborate and decorative fabrics, ranging from elegantly conservative, to teasingly provocative.

Did he mention that a good 90 percent of them were Omegas? Anyone else who was there was a part of the Hale pack, acting as guards and chaperones.

And then there was Stiles, who promptly shuffled his was downstairs to find the kitchen. If he was going to battle this, he needed some food.

He dodged some questioning eyes, and eventually weaved through enough people to see a man walking through a door with a tray full of food. Bingo.

Stiles pushed through the door and was met with a group of people laughing and talking around the kitchen island.

They made quite the picture. It was clear that these people were close friends, family. They were incomparable to the cold, impersonal mingling going on outside.

And when they all simultaneously turned to look at him, Stiles felt a twinge of regret. But uncomfortable or not, this was a good opportunity to get to know the Hale pack without the presence of the party guests.

“Uh…” And his stomach growled. A blonde female broke into a playful grin, not unkind but a little mischievous. She was pressed up against the other Alpha who had helped Scott carry him to the house.

“Have whatever you want, Alpha’s orders.” She said, gesturing to the food spread over the island. Stiles hesitantly stepped forward to grab a plate.

“So, my name is Stiles.”

“We know.” A blonde, jock-looking type said.

“Well, alright then.” Stiles quipped back, unaffected.

“Jackson, stop being an asshole,” Scott said from the side, “Alpha Talia explained everything to us, don’t worry. You know I’m Scott.”

“This jackass is Jackson,” he pointed to the jock. Beta.

“Lydia,” an auburn haired girl with suspicious eyes. Alpha.

“Erica,” the blonde who had spoken to him. Beta.

“Boyd,” the guy who had helped him. Alpha.

“And Isaac,” a tall, dirty blonde teen. Omega.

They all nodded as a group, giving him varying welcome smiles. Stiles was struck by their obvious closeness, something he had never experienced with friends.

Ever since they moved, Stiles had been a loner, and had always preferred it that way. But he couldn’t deny the warmth that curled in his stomach at the site of all of these people together.

Too bad they were all criminals. Stiles looked down, spooning some pasta up and tossing it onto his plate. There was a lot of different food on the counter but he was going for efficiency with this meal.

Stiles grabbed a fork, and dove in. The pasta was catered from some Italian restaurant and he would die to know the recipe.

“So, who goes camping around Hale territory?” Jackson asked, eyebrow lifted and arms around Lydia.

“I live in Portland, I had no idea.” He raised his hand at the skeptical gaze. “I had just visited my mom’s grave and was trying to get away from everything.” He dropped his hand back down, letting real sadness roll through him. He knew they could smell it. “I honestly didn’t mean for this to happen.”

Scott frowned, pain flashing in his eyes before he walked over and clapped him on the back.

“I get that, my dad died a while back. Jackson, lay off of him. Anyway, what do you do out in Portland?” Stiles swallowed the food in his mouth, giving Scott a genuine smile of appreciation.

If he didn’t know better, he would have liked him.

“I’m a detective!” he said cheerfully. He noticed the twitch in Jackson’s jaw and the stiffening of Boyd’s back. Scott didn’t waver but he saw the change in their eyes, like walls immediately put up for protection.

“I’m pretty new though,” he said, scratching the back of his neck like he was embarrassed yet proud.

“That’s pretty cool,” Isaac broke the tension, popping a bread stick into his mouth.

“What do you guys do?” Stiles grinned, looking curious. He needed to make them believe he was so out of the loop, his being a detective didn’t matter.

“I work at the police station, fresh out of the academy like you.” Scott said, picking up some chicken wings for himself.

“Mechanic,” Boyd rumbled when Scott looked to him.

“Fashion Boutique owner,” Erica said with a wink.

“Law school,” Lydia nodded, eyeing Stiles.

“Lacrosse coach and English teacher,” Jackson muttered after Lydia not so subtly nudged him.

“College,” Isaac said through a mouthful of food.

Stiles nodded back at all of them, logging the information into his mind while his face remained politely forgetful.

He knew what they were telling him wasn’t anything he couldn’t find out on his own. Every adult member of the family had a normal job, most directly through the Hale’s many businesses.

They were their very own conglomerate. Hiding criminal connections was easy when you had people within the justice system waiting to protect you.

And who would question their wealth with such successful businesses? The sheer vastness of the case was starting to make him lightheaded.

He only needed to get enough information to give the team another lead. Stiles wasn’t expected to take down their entire operation tonight.

“Want a tour of the place?” Scott asked excitedly. If nothing else, Stiles had gained some of Scott’s trust. He needed to take advantage of that.

Stiles’ eyes went big and he nodded like a puppy, swallowing the last bit of pasta. His eyes caught onto a cooler on the floor and pointed to it.

“Drinks?”

Scott nodded, walking over to grab him a Dr. Pepper. Stiles opened it, taking a sip of the liquid heaven as he followed the Alpha out. He pretended not to notice the stares the others gave him on the way out.

Stiles watched Scott’s back, musing on the differences between him and Derek. All Alphas could get aggressive, he knew that.

They all had this particular feeling to them, but where Scott was like the boy next door, Derek was the axe murderer in a business suit. It made Stiles think of his own personality as an Omega.

They emerged into the bustling party and Stiles was finally ready to fully focus. There was a good many people wearing masquerade masks and he guessed they were the Omega guests.

The Hales didn’t bother covering their faces, knowing each other by scent so any disguise was pointless. He guessed the masks were to further the “attracted by scent alone” concept that matching parties followed.

Derek didn’t seem like the type to agree to one of these things, but who was Stiles kidding, he didn’t know the guy.

Scott led him through the rooms, rambling about how many people there were. Stiles laughed when he needed to, agreeing with him.

“Though I imagine being a werewolf in here is pretty unbearable.” He said, flaring his nostrils comically and Scott laughed, nodding wearily.

“Omegas are somewhat rare to Beacon Hills, their scents are a bit overpowering in here.” He looked genuinely uncomfortable and Stiles wished he could get a better feel for whether or not he was lying.

Scott was either incredibly innocent, or was playing just as much a role as Stiles was. And was just as good at his job. Stiles doubted he would find out tonight.

Scott continued showing him around, pointing out special paintings or furniture as they made their way to the third floor.

Stiles noticed the hierarchy that was going on. The higher the floors, the more wealthy, better candidates there were.

The third floor was nothing but Omegas, dressed in clothes that could pay for Stiles’ jeep. And like a hive of insects, they all shot him a look. He was obviously not welcomed here. Perfect.

Scott was called back downstairs by someone so Stiles waved to him, making sure to linger.

“I’ll be right back,” he said, rushing back down. Stiles was aware that he was being watched, it was only natural considering who they were and the fact that he was a stranger.

So he stood there for a second, letting awkwardness shroud him as he fidgeted from foot to foot. He leaned sideways, looking into the other room and took a hesitant step forward.

Stiles couldn’t recognize anyone beneath their masks so if he wanted to get any information, he’d have to talk to them.

He gazed across the room, seeing a girl in purple standing alone. It would look natural if he approached her so he started walking her way.

“So this party…” He said, making his eyes wide and impressed. She laughed, nodding in agreement.

“I know. It’s a lot to take in. This isn’t normally my thing. I’m Kira, by the way.” She stuck her hand out and Stiles shook it in return.

“Stiles,” he said, “this isn’t normally my thing either.” He gestured to his clothes.

“They alerted everyone to an ‘unexpected guess’ but they didn’t say what happened. And they didn’t give you a change of clothes?”

“No, though they probably can’t. I’m an unmated Omega from out of town. Giving me clothes doused in Hale scent wouldn’t be too smart considering the situation.” He explained and she nodded in realization. The Hales operated differently and she seemed to remember that.

“As for what happened, well, I was driving my ATV at night like an idiot and crashed,” he shrugged embarrassingly and she laughed, trying to cheer him up.

Suddenly, someone pushed him from behind and he tumbled into Kira. He caught his feet fast enough to avoid toppling them over.

He stabilized them, shooting Kira an apologetic look before turning around.

“Sorry,” a masked boy said, popping his hip out. Stiles’ eyes narrowed. But his eyes drifted past the guy’s shoulders, traveling into the other room and landing on the sole Alpha on this floor.

Derek was surrounded by Omegas, towering over them and taking up just as much space. He had the same impassivity about him but Stiles could see the real indifference in his eyes.

It only took a second for Derek to realize he was being watched and he looked up. Their eyes latched and Stiles started feeling that same, strange sensation run through his body.

He probably would have stayed there like that had it not been for the second push the guy in front of him gave.

Stiles stumbled back, too distracted to do anything but fall. His back crashed into Kira and she shouted, crumbling under him. His Dr. Pepper flew out of his hand, spilling over onto the floor.

His ribs, which had been aching all night, started throbbing in pain. Stiles groaned on the floor, rolling off Kira with a thud

A dark growl, low and angry, boomed through the house. It was so deep, Stiles could feel the floor vibrate from its intensity. An Alpha’s growl.

Like every other Omega in the house, Stiles flashed his neck, unable to stop even with the pain radiating his lungs.

He was thankful that his stiches hadn’t come out. Hard footsteps started coming his way and he looked over, seeing Derek’s black dress shoes approaching.

“Leave. Now.” Derek said, and Stiles would pay to have seen the Omega’s face as he all but sprinted away. Stiles wondered what his Alpha Commands would be capable of.

“Are you okay?” Derek asked, leaning down to help Stiles sit up. Kira was already pushing herself to a standing position and Stiles hated that he was injured.

He had one arm on the floor, propping his body up while the other held his ribs. Stiles looked up at the same time that Derek reached down, his hand pushing Stiles’ aside so he could cup the bones.

Stiles winced, but not entirely out of pain. In front of everyone, Derek began absorbing the pain and Stiles watched as his veins started pumping black.

“You are nearing your heat.” Derek suddenly said and Stiles was forced to look to at him. The man’s eyes were trained on him, unwavering.

Stiles merely nodded, because how the actual fuck was he supposed to reply to that without sounding like he was an open invitation.

“The scent is agitating the other Omegas.” Stiles felt as if a cold bucket of water had been poured on him. So that’s why Derek was bringing it up.

“Sounds like their problem,” he said, glad his brain was starting to function normally again. The edge of Derek’s lip curled, so slightly that if Stiles was any less obsessed with the man’s face, he wouldn’t have seen it.

It didn’t do anything to make the increased pounding of Stiles’ heart stop. And of course Derek heard it, most of the people inside the room could.

In fact, now that Stiles focused, the entire house had went silent. The growl must have stopped everyone in their tracks.

“You-uh, you can stop that now. Thank you,” Stiles nodded to his hand and slowly, the black veins returned to normal. But Derek’s hand didn’t move.

“What happened?” Talia said, walking into the room with a carefree smile on her face. He eyes landed on the two on the floor and she frowned.

“Stiles, are you okay? Derek, what happened?” She walked over to them but Derek lifted his other hand, stopping her.

Kira stepped forward, flashing her neck. “Another Omega pushed him. I’m sorry Alpha Hale, I should have stopped him.”

That confused him a bit. Kira sounded overly familiar and something about the comment was a bit off. Talia nodded in acknowledgment, smiling back at her.

“Don’t worry Kira. Derek, did you handle it?”

“An Omega from the Foster pack.” The Alpha said and Talia nodded. Stiles knew they could tell the packs by scent but he wondered why it mattered. He had just pushed him. Talia caught the question in his eyes.

“You are our guest, Stiles. We protect you.”

Stiles was slightly thrown. He knew guests were important, but that was more for the sake of politeness. Though the Hales did seem to have an elevated sense of loyalty. One that got in the way of the law, but loyalty no less. But the Foster asshole was technically a guest too.

Derek suddenly got closer, his arms wrapping around Stiles’ body. He lifted the Omega up and Stiles jerked slightly, surprised.

“Derek, where are you going?” Talia asked, something in her voice sounding a little too amused.

“Take care of the other guests,” Derek replied, nodding at her as they left the room. Talia didn’t even bother hiding her laugh this time and Stiles was truly confused.

Derek began carrying them upstairs and Stiles looked over his shoulder, seeing the group from the kitchen standing on the steps, staring.

His eyes shot down, catching onto the red stiletto heels that sat on Erica’s feet. The same ones he’d seen a month before. He felt a shot of excitement run through him. He couldn’t wait to look into her.

_Or maybe I can_ , he thought as Derek squeezed him tighter.

“Sorry you have to carry me everywhere.” Stiles said, not knowing where to go from here. He hadn’t expected Derek to literally drag him from the party and he couldn’t put up much of a protest.

If it all ended here, Stiles had at least gotten Kira’s and Erica’s names, both of which he had suspicions about. That was something.

“You attract misfortune, don’t you,” Derek said, looking down at him. Stiles rolled his eyes.

“You sound like my dad. And no, I’m clumsy, not magically stunted with bad luck. They are different.” Even Stiles knew that was a lie but by the almost non-existent scoff that Derek gave him, he figured it was worth it.

They passed the room they had first taken him to and Stiles looked up, confused.

“Uhhh,” He said, waiting to see if Derek would explain but the man remained silent. A few moments later and they arrived at the end of the corridor.

The lights on this end of the hallway were off, making it completely dark. A shiver of fear ran down his spine and he knew Derek could smell it.

“The dark isn’t my favorite thing.” He tried covering for himself. It wasn’t totally unreasonable for him to be scared, considering he was an Omega nearing his heat who was currently injured.

Still, Derek was smart and Stiles didn’t want his emotions to blow his cover.

“Arms around my neck,” Derek said, slowly letting go of Stiles’ back. He made a surprised noise, hands shooting out to snake around the Alpha’s neck.

Derek reached out to open the door, but Stiles was too distracted by the smooth feel of the fabric on his fingers and the hot surface of Derek’s skin.

The Alpha bent down, resting Stiles on a bed and only then did he take a look around.

“Woah, where are we?” The room was spacious, with high ceilings and several skylights. Derek walked over to flip the light switch on and Stiles let his eyes roam.

The walls were huge and black, but nothing hung on them. Bookcases were everywhere. They were dusted, obviously cared for and Stiles wondered who owned this many books.

The bed he was on had four large posters, silk seats, and was larger than a bed had any right to be. The mattress was soft under his body and he started to feel fatigue claw at him.

Stiles gazed over at Derek who was slowly loosening his tie, looking far too comfortable.

“This is my room.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so tired and out of my mind!!! Let me know how you all feel about this chapter and any theories you may have! 
> 
> Otherwise, love to my fluffs, I'll see you next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I like this chapter y'all. I hope you do too! I also pushed it a bit in my excitement. Plus, tomorrow is Friday, a wonderful cause for celebration. 
> 
> As always, thank you my sweet corn flakes for being so incredibly lovely and involved. You make this all so much fun. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 5

* * *

 

Stiles’ head almost snapped on his neck.

“W-What?” He said, breathing in deeply. The air smelled slightly of Derek but he knew that if he pressed his face into the bed, the scent would fill his lungs. “Shouldn’t you, ah, be at the party?”

“I have no interest in pursuing a mate, those Omegas know that just as well. And your presence is…calming.” Derek began loosening his tie, pulling it from his neck even as he eyed the Omega on his bed.

Stiles felt his heart pumping faster and faster. He sputtered at the calm comment.

“I, and anyone that knows me, wouldn’t really say I’m calming. But, uh, thanks.” Fuck, he was blushing. Stiles didn’t even know why his words got to him but they did. No one ever saw him that way.

He shook his head, trying to focus. He knew Derek was part of a crime family, knew that he had committed various illegal, and probably morally questionable, things.

But Stiles had yet to see any of that, and his mind desperately wanted to see a different version of Derek.

He imagined the boots, leading Erica to kill that man. Bradshaw hadn’t been a good person, but the law was the law. And Stiles and Derek stood on opposite sides of it.

“What are you thinking about?” Derek asked, leaning against a desk that stood in the corner. He had unbuttoned his shirt a bit, and Stiles was _not_ staring at the curves of his pectorals. Never.

Under this level of scrutiny, Derek would catch a lie. So Stiles went for a truth.

“…My heat’s…getting to me. Hormones, and what not.” That pill must have been powerful, it was the only explanation for him feeling this way.

Derek’s eyes grew dark, the green deepening into something Stiles didn’t want to think of. He scented the air and Stiles’ blush grew deeper.

He had a low level arousal going on, one that had been building up since he laid eyes on the Alpha. It must be noticeable because Derek closed his eyes, squeezing his hand into a fist.

“I should probably leave.” Stiles couldn’t let his hormones take control. He had never had this problem before, and he sure as shit wasn’t going to let it ruin his investigation.

“No.” Derek opened his eyes, almost growling the word.

“Oh-uh-okay. Ah, well, I…” Stiles felt small licks of fear feather the back of his mind. Derek saw it and sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.

“You are safer in here. Your scent has been getting stronger. I trust my pack mates but others might target you. With your injuries, it’s the best place for you.”

Stiles nodded, swallowing around the lump in his throat.

“Wait, you said the other Omega’s knew you weren’t interested. Why go to all of this trouble for a party then?” Stiles felt curiosity bubble up within him. Derek looked relieved at the change of topic, his hands relaxing.

“Politics. They are all from influential families, and while private, these parties keep up their respective reputations. It was my turn to be the hook.”

Stiles found the deepness of his voice a little too pleasant. But the words shot an instant suspicion down his spine.

Influential families meant big corporations, some of which had to be corrupt. Stiles might be sitting in a cesspool of Omegas who belonged to the underground elite. It made his head spin.  

“Good hook. Why aren’t you actually looking for a mate though? Seeing as you’re an heir?”

Derek considered the question, walking toward a chest of drawers and pulling one open. It was almost funny, the way he turned his back to Stiles.

Had Stiles not met him, he would say it was cockiness or even naiveté. But he knew better. Derek could snap his neck before he even made it off the bed.

This wasn’t blind trust, it was confident self-awareness. And it made him shiver, in ways that he didn’t really understand. What kind of mate would a person like Derek even want?

“Mates, within packs like ours, operate differently. The entire pack, especially the main family, has to approve of the person before courting even happens. Which often means choosing from within the people already in the pack.” Derek explained, rummaging through the drawer.

Stiles wondered if he usually spoke this much, because he really liked it.

“I also have little interest in sharing my life with someone.” The Alpha turned around, clothing in hand. “As you can imagine from your brief introduction with me, I am not particularly friendly.”

Stiles was struck by that. Sure, the guy didn’t give off the nicest of auras, he probably made people nervous all the time. But if Stiles didn’t know about what the Alpha did in his spare time, he wouldn’t mind getting to know what was behind the scowl. Even if he wanted to burn himself for thinking that.

“I think you’re okay,” Stiles shrugged, ignoring the fact that his face was hot and Derek was stepping up to him.

“It’s good to think that way.” Derek said with a low tone, “now put these on. I’ll help you.” He placed the clothes on the edge of the bed, placing his knee on the duvet.

“Do you think I’m naive?” Stiles shot back, crossing his arms and ignoring the man’s orders. Derek met his eyes, and Stiles could see the humor in them. Asshole.

“I think you’ve lived through enough to know a thing or two. And you are smarter than others would think. But your world is sheltered, and I can see it in your eyes. Now, raise your arms.”

Derek leaned forward, shoulders bunching so it was like Stiles was about to get eaten. And while clean clothes looked like heaven, and would probably feel like it, Stiles didn’t like his tone.

“Wait just a second, what makes you think I’m sheltered? And don’t start with how my eyes look or don’t look, I want a real answer.”

Stiles should get brownie points for that one. He knew better than most how much the look in someone’s eye could mean. Pretending he didn’t matched his story, but he also wanted something more.

Derek sighed, hands digging into the bed but he didn’t let go of Stiles’ gaze.

“You are a detective. You live in a world of rules and regulations. For you, right and wrong have cookie-cutter definitions. You may not subscribe to that belief system, not at first. But just like a doctor will always think like one, you’ll begin to think in ways that don’t allow for any outside explanations.”

That struck a chord, and Stiles didn’t like it. The whole night, Stiles had been feeling conflicted. The Hales had been nothing but kind to him, inviting him into the party when people of the same status would have left him on the porch.

He didn’t know if that was because of the pill or not, but it was muddling his brain. Stiles needed to see the dark side of the Hales, and soon. Otherwise, he might start buying into the fluffy façade they had built around themselves.

Stiles desperately wanted to say, “Then give me an outside explanation. Make me believe you.” But he didn’t. It was too probing, and Stiles had an identity to protect.

So instead, he bit his lip hard enough to add a twinge of pain, looked away like a scolded toddler, and hated himself.

Stiles didn’t know why he wanted to be authentic with Derek so badly, but it needed to stop. Especially considering the Alpha was hiding all kinds of things. No reason to act out of impulse when his enemy was probably ten steps ahead of him.

“Arms up.” This time, Stiles complied. He let out a small whimper of pain raising his arms. Derek’s hands reached out, gripped the ends of his shirt and began lifting.

The Alpha’s knuckles pressed against Stiles’ stomach and the Omega gasped, too worked up to hold it back.

But Derek didn’t stop, not even for a second. Instead, he continued lifting, knuckles pressing into his skin as deep as they could without it being overt, but it was obviously intentional.

The ridges of Derek’s fingers glided up and over the bandages and then both of his nipples. Stiles, like most Omegas, had hypersensitive skin on a normal day. Pump up his hormones, and it was on a whole other level.

He cried out a moan, quickly cutting it off when his brain caught up to it. But it took entirely took long, all blood rushing south.

“D-Derek?” He asked, sounding alarmed. This interaction was like a roller coaster and Stiles had no idea how to navigate it. 

“Be good.” The Alpha said, voice husky. If Stiles had been on the edge, those words would have thrown his ass off.

Instead, he started breathing faster, feeling his irises begin to warm. He closed his eyes, fighting the feeling as Derek pulled the fabric free from him chest and over his head.

He opened his eyes, finding Derek’s green pair staring right at him. His eyebrows were drawn tight in smooth control. Stiles could see something in his gaze but he refused to think about it. This was dangerous territory.

“You should take a bath. There’s twigs in your hair and you smell of foreign wolves.” The last part was said with slight heat.

“I-uh, I could use it, actually. And you should probably go mingle some more and say your goodbyes, politically motivated or not.” What Stiles actually needed was some time to pull his head out of his ass, but same difference.

“I’ll have Deaton bring you more bandages. Change into the clothes I left on the bed. I will return soon.” Derek said, standing up.

“But, aren’t they yours?” Stiles asked. Derek raised an eyebrow. “No, I mean, they are obviously yours. Well, at least I would think so. Or hope so. You don’t exactly look like the type to bring people in here. But maybe you do, what with your-uh-appearance.” Shoot him, someone have mercy on him and shoot him.

“What I mean is, they are covered in your scent. Isn’t that a little…you know?” Stiles said, getting to the point with the grace of a drowning buffalo.

Derek look amused and Stiles hated him.

“No one would think to come into this room. The clothes are merely added protection. If you smell like mine, no one will touch you.”

With that, the Alpha began walking to the door. And what a jackass, saying something like that and then leaving.

“And Stiles,” he said, looking over his shoulder as he opened the door, “You’re right, I don’t invite people in here.”

The door closed and Stiles let his jaw drop. What the fuck just happened?

~ ~ ~

Stiles was reevaluating his life. It’s not like he had expected normalcy out of this situation, but he was currently bathing in Derek Hales personal bathtub while a horde of werewolves from wealthy families partied down below.

The water rippled around his body and Stiles let a little moan out. He had cranked the heat up and his muscles felt like gloopy heaven.

The tub itself was huge, like a jacuzzi, complete with jets. Stiles wished he could turn them on but at this point, he didn’t think his ribs could take it.

Still, he was more relaxed than he should have been. But his mind kept rolling over everything that had happened.

He hadn’t gotten hard evidence, but he never thought he would. What he did know was that Kira had some sort of relationship with the Hales that went further than the others.

He knew Erica had been the one to kill Bradshaw. And he had the name “Foster” to investigate, not to mention all of the other Hale members he’d met.

Stiles let each though go slowly, there was no point in over-analyzing everything now. He would be doing more than enough of that later.

For now, he decided to look around. The bathroom was as big as his own room back home. It had two sinks, a toilet in its own small room, and a separate shower that looked like it had several jets.

Compared to the room’s almost rustic feel, this was much more extravagant and he suspected that Derek did little else but shower in here.

He looked at the rack of shampoos, soaps, and the like. His eyes caught onto a black rubber duck that sat, very out of place, in the corner.

Stiles couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing. The thing was big for a rubber duck, all black, with red eyes and horns. If Derek was a child’s bath-time toy, he would be that one.

He made a note to ask him about it later but he couldn’t resist picking it up and letting it fall into the tub.

Stiles smiled goofily at the thing, remembering his childhood. Rubber duckies needed to be every kid’s favorite toy at some point.

He slowly washed his body, thankful the soap was unscented. Washing his head was harder than he would like, with the gash near his forehead, but he got it done.

By the time his fingers were like raisins, he felt like a new person. He got out, using one of the towels to dry off but had to bite back a moan at the strong scent of Derek that it carried.

Stiles tried opening the cabinets, knowing he wouldn’t find anything. If searching the Hale’s bathrooms was all it took to catch them, they’d long be in jail. It was worth a shot though.

He walked back out into the bedroom, happy to see that he was alone. He bandaged his ribs and started getting dressed. The clothes Derek had left him were sacks on his body.

The big black t-shirt drowned him while the equally black sweatpants had to be tied especially tight. And yes, Stiles was wearing Derek’s underwear. It was as erotic as it sounded.

Now that he was sufficiently saturated in Derek’s scent, it was becoming apparent that the pasta hadn’t been enough. He was hungry.

He thought about snooping around the room, but he knew anything worth finding, wouldn’t be here. Derek wasn’t ignorant enough to leave him here alone if there was.

And while the books would be interesting to look at, his stomach was starting to make noises. So he slowly opened the door and slipped out.

Stiles wasn’t actually close to his heat so he’d be fine, especially considering how he smelled. He started walking down the corridor toward the stairs when a hand shot out of a side hallway and pulled him in.

The hand covered his mouth and a knee slid in between his legs. A cold shot of fear ran through Stiles’ body but he maintained composure.

He didn’t recognize the scent coming off the body now pressed against his. He would need to stay calm while not breaking his cover.

So Stiles started shaking, enough to make it seem like he was afraid but he didn’t scream. He was a detective after all.

“Do you think flashing your Omega cunt will get Derek to open up to you?” The voice came out of the dark in front of him.

Stiles placed it almost instantly. Peter Hale, the one who had originally found him after the crash. This wasn’t good.

Peter was well known, not just as Talia Hale’s brother, but he was also rumored to be behind the Hale’s more vicious murders.

Derek, being the enforcer, meant he led all the assassins, coordinated hits, and carried out the ones the others couldn’t. Allegedly.

Peter on the other hand was strange, even in the public eye. Everyone within the department thought of him as the one who dealt with the most unsavory of the Hale’s enemies.

With the way he was acting now, Stiles could see why. He let out a small sound of confusion.

“Don’t think we trust you boy. Derek might want to fuck you, but his loyalties lie with the Hales.” Peter said, a grim satisfaction in his tone.

Just like that, he released Stiles and began walking further into the dark hallway, leaving Stiles speechless. He made sure to pump his chest more than he normally would, letting his breath come fast to simulate fear.

He made a mental note to watch out for Peter. The Omega wasn’t surprised that he was suspicious, hell, even Derek was. But to call him out on it so early made Stiles weary.

He waited a few seconds before stumbling back out into the light and walking further down. But peace was not in the cards because suddenly, gun shots rang out and Stiles instinctively fell to the floor.

They were coming from downstairs so he quickly got up and ran for the steps. The sound of werewolf growls came soon after.

Someone had ambushed them, and Stiles needed to find out who. It wouldn’t take long for the Hales to dispose of whoever was causing the disturbance, so he needed to work quickly.

Stiles rushed down to the second floor, pushing past the mob of people trying to get to higher ground. Two roars sounded below him and he knew they belonged to Talia and Derek. No other werewolf sounded like that.

The gunshots continued and Stiles ran to grab one of the glass vases from around the room. He lifted it up, ready to strike as he slowly made his way down.

It was chaos, with all the screaming, growling, and noise. Stiles methodically tuned it out, focusing on his breathing.

When he got far enough down, he started seeing bodies. They were still alive, werewolf healing abilities saving their lives. But it still made him freeze.

Gathering himself, Stiles peered around the corner. Coming through the broken-in front door was a huge man with half of his face scared from fire.

His hair was long and straggly, his beard short but unkempt. It was San Clegane, a well-known werewolf hunter.  

Stiles could have died right there, He couldn’t decide if this was the worst or best luck he had in his life. San was on every state’s most wanted list.

He worked alone, for the most part, but to target the Hales so openly, and with obvious backup, was new.

The hulk of a man stalked forward, eyes dead and gun drawn. He passed the stairs, walking into the other room where Stiles couldn’t see him.

Stiles followed down, eyes darting everywhere to ensure no one else showed up. It wasn’t hard to go unnoticed, his entire body was covered by San’s who lacked enhanced hearing.

Still, he fell back just enough, peering from being. His eyes latched onto Talia and Derek who were both standing in the large living room.

Besides their glowing eyes and extracted claws, they were unchanged. And that surprised Stiles. He wondered what type of threat would have to exist for them to fully shift.

Talia’s hair was wild, her clothes torn. The enraged scowl on her face made her look like Medusa. Derek on the other hand, while covered in blood, was eerily calm.

Stiles saw San lift the gun up, and the Omega wasn’t stupid. A man like San carried only wolfsbane bullets, even if his goons didn’t.

And he didn’t know what came over him, but just as Derek and Talia set to move and attack, so did he. He ran forward, lifting the vase as high over his head as he could.

He jumped and slammed down hard, breaking the glass over the man’s neck, right over the pressure point underneath.

San dropped the gun, stumbling forward and trying to turn around. He fell at Stiles’ feet, just as Derek tackled him to the floor as well.

More bullets came barreling through the walls, spiraling overhead. Derek kept Stiles’ body pinned, and the Omega was breathing hard underneath, hands braced on Derek’s chest.

Slowly, the bullets stopped coming, and the sound of yells slowly faded into the forest. Stiles began focusing on the position of his body.

His legs were split wide, Derek’s tapered waist filling the space in between them. Derek’s hand was cupping the back of Stiles’ head while the other was braced on the floor. His ribs were on fire but the Alpha had avoided putting much pressure on them.

Stiles couldn’t help it, he bucked his hips. It was out of shock and pain, but also because adrenaline was pumping through his body. Not that Derek cared about either.

The Alpha growled into Stiles’ ear, a warning, but one that felt like a lie considering the solid grind that Derek’s hips drilled into Stiles.

Before Stiles could even react past a whimpered gasp, Derek pushed himself off and pulled them to their feet. The Omega winced, cupping his side but was glad the immediate danger was over.

“I told you to stay in the room.” Derek said, eyes still a burning crimson and Stiles gawked.

“One, I’m a detective, I don’t ignore gunshots. And two, I was hungry, so lay off Mr. I-Bathe-With-A-Devil-Rubber-Ducky.” Stiles was high on emotions he didn’t know how to deal with and Derek’s close proximity paired with his parental lecture was not doing him any favors.

The Alpha sighed, looking exasperated as his hands reached out. Suddenly, Derek’s large man-paws were petting Stiles’ body and he shouted out his surprise.

The hunger from Derek’s eyes hadn’t completely faded but they held a clinical aspect now, and Stiles realized he was making sure he wasn’t injured.

The man, covered in blood, was ensuring _his_ health. So Stiles bopped him on the head, V8 style.

“You were the one who was shot at, you’re the one who looks like he tangoed with a meat slab, and you’re wondering if I’m okay?” Stiles’ voice conveyed genuine unbelievability.

Derek’s mirth was quick to come back, and the Alpha grabbed both of Stiles’ hands, placing them back on his chest.

“I’m fine. Feel free to see for yourself, little Omega.”

Stiles was really starting to have a feeling Derek was a dirty talker in bed. And where that last comment would have felt insulting or sleazy from another, it made Stiles’ hole ache with emptiness.

“Derek, Stiles, not to interrupt, but a hand full of our party guests are injured. Can you please continue this later?”

The two turned toward Talia who looked not even remotely rattled, despite her appearance, and maybe even a little bit fond. But she had a point.

Stiles looked down at San’s unconscious body. The man had come with others, very unlike him. Which meant Stiles had another lead to chase.

All in all, it had been a very productive night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop! Didn't exactly see that action ending coming, but boy do I like it! Thoughts on Peter, San, what about the Derek/Stiles hotness??? And yes, San is from something, can ya guess? 
> 
> See you all in the next one, take care of your beautiful selves! <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might pass out before I write this, good lord. I also really want chips. *sigh* Tomorrow. 
> 
> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. I literally squeal at the things you guys comment.  
> Shoutout to Djjdjx for giving me an idea about a certain duck. It made for a great joke, you'll see what I mean ;)
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 6

* * *

 

 

Stiles was sitting at a table in the dining room, throwing Derek dirty looks. The Alpha had forced Stiles to sit in this stupid chair the whole night.

He had tried getting up but Derek had posted Lydia and Jackson by his side. They caged him in and Stiles was effectively trapped.

Deaton had given him some mild painkillers so he wasn’t dying, but he felt like a child in time out. So every time the stupid wolf passed, Stiles made sure to convey his feelings. The Alpha met his eyes each time, looking unfazed and way too satisfied.

“You know, being a detective and all, I should actually be helping.” He murmured to anyone who would listen.

“This isn’t your jurisdiction, _Omega_.” Jackson sneered but Stiles just rolled his eyes. He shot a look at Lydia.

“Please say you’re more entertaining than your man-child?”

Lydia lifted an eyebrow, but Stiles could see the slight smirk she had on.

“Alpha’s orders. Besides, many of our pack members are in law enforcement. They are scoping things out.”

“Fine,” Stiles threw up his hands and fell back against the seat. “I’ll just sit here and look pretty.”

Lydia snickered, shaking her head and Jackson continued giving him disgusted looks.

Talia walked in shortly after, wearing clean clothes and looking satisfied. “Alright guys, everything’s cleaned up. Stiles, Derek’s got a plate of food for you upstairs. You should get some rest and we’ll drive you into town tomorrow.”

Stiles grinned, popping up and immediately wincing in pain.

“Right, good, okay. Thank you! Oh and Mrs. Hale” He called for her, “I know this isn’t my home and you are more than capable of taking care of yourselves. But Clegane’s been causing trouble everywhere, if he’s banded together with others, I need to let my superiors know.”

That, at the very least, wasn’t a lie. Talia nodded, eyebrows drawing together in concentration.

“Beacon Hills PD is out front, you can go speak to them if you’d like. But as of right now, we know as little as you do. But do tell your department when you get back. Clegane is in custody for now, but I doubt he instigated this. He’s more of a hound than anything. The faster we catch him, the better. The Hales carry the responsibility of protecting our kind. Oh, and call me Talia.”

Lydia and Jackson looked shocked at that last comment but Stiles only smiled and nodded. He wondered if Talia was up to him or if he had truly made a good impression. Either way, he was tired of sitting there and it was time to work.

Stiles ducked out of the room, avoiding the eyes of anyone else he passed. He got to the front door and made his way out.

His jaw physically dropped the second he stepped through the threshold and onto the porch. The land in front of, and around, the house was _covered_ with people.

This was the Hales, at least the ones who lived in Beacon Hills. The “main pack.” Stiles knew they were a big, enormous by normal standards.

But seeing just the main pack like this made him lightheaded. Policemen were scattered everywhere, speaking to the few guests that hadn’t gone home.

They must have trekked here because their cars were no were in sight. Stiles stayed on the porch for a second, just staring.

Realistically speaking, no one here had any clue what had happened. If Stiles hadn’t already known about Clegane, he would have been more honest about asking questions.

But as it was, he would have to talk to the police officers more for face value. At the very least, maybe they found something in the bushes where the shooters had hidden.

So he slowly made his way through the crowd, spotting Scott and approaching him.

“Hey, I don’t mean to interrupt you guys but I wanted to know if you had found anything.” Stiles asked and Scott looked rightfully exhausted.

“It’s good to know you’re okay Stiles. But unfortunately, we haven’t found anything. The bullets don’t give us much ballistic evidence and they didn’t leave anything behind. If we do get something, you’ll be one of the first I tell though. Promise.” Scott smiled assuredly and Stiles felt a pang in his stomach.

“Thanks dude, I appreciate it.” He nodded to him and they went their separate ways. Stiles’ mind was a mess and he refused to attend to any of them.

Instead, he walked back inside and slowly dragged himself up the stairs. The fatigue hit him like a bull. After getting in the crash, the whirlwind that is the Hales, and the impromptu gun fight, Stiles could sleep for months.

The door to Derek’s room was open at the end of the hall and Stiles felt himself hesitate. He started walking toward the guest bedroom where Deaton had stitched him up but before he entered, a loud bang came from the Alpha’s room.

“In here.” Derek demanded and Stiles flushed, he must have heard his footsteps. He twisted on his heel, eyebrows up in a mocking manner. _In here_ , he teased, making a stern face.

“You know, I know you’re only capable of expressing emotions with your eyebrows but I don’t have super hearing and you scared the shit out of me.”

Stiles threw up his hands as he walked in. Derek walked out of the bathroom at the same time, towel around his hips and no visible blood on his body.

And good god was that a body. Stiles stopped dead in his tracks, watching the water droplets slide down the curves of his muscles. They left wet trails, like a tongue would.

It was a scene out of a cheesy romance novel. But while Stiles wasn’t a demure lady, he was an expert at making an ass out of himself.

“Goddamn, that rubber ducky have magic powers?” He felt himself cringe at his own comment but Stiles rolled with it anyway.

Derek merely looked up at him, shaking his head and Stiles wanted to run his hands through that damp hair.

“By the way, why does a grown man-werewolf-person have a rubber ducky?” He asked, waving his hands and stumbling over his words.

“It has a camera in it that I use to spy on my guests.” Derek said, voice lifting in sarcasm and Stiles slapped himself in the chest, fanning shock.

“Oh gosh, my maiden virtue has been compromised.” Stiles laughed to himself, eyes catching onto the metal covered plate on the desk. Food.

“The duck was a gift from my mother when I was a kid.” Derek finally answered while Stiles made a beeline for the food.

“Huh, momma’s boy. Can’t say I’m surprised.” Stiles mused and Derek slapped him on the back of the head lightly, heading for the dresser.

Stiles lifted up the metal lid, seeing steak and fries. He verbally moaned his appreciation and internally laughed at Derek’s tensing.

But just as Stiles planted himself in the desk chair, Derek dropped the towel. Stiles would have spit out food if he had any time to eat it.

Thighs roped with muscles held up an impressive ass and great lower back muscles. He finally stuck a fry into his mouth, eyes molding over Derek who was pulling on some black briefs. Shame.

He also had a tattoo between his shoulder blades. Stiles recognized it, the Triskele. It was their symbol, but Stiles wondered what it meant. No one gets a company logo inked on their back without a good reason. Especially not a man like Derek.

“That genetics or do you work-out like Vin Diesel?” Stiles mumbled.

Derek didn’t bother putting on anything else and turned toward the Omega. He walked over, grabbing one of Stiles’ fries and chewing the potato contently.

“I steal food, mostly.” Derek replied, going over to sit on the edge of the bed. Stiles suddenly felt like he was under investigation, the Alpha’s eyes intent. But he was still trying to get over Derek making a joke.

“Tell me about your mom.”

_Woah, okay then_. Stiles didn’t expect the conversation to go there but he could roll with it. He started cutting his meat, halfway facing the Alpha.

“Uhhhh, what do you want to know?”

“Tell me something about her, anything.”

Stiles nodded, sticking some meat in his mouth while he thought.

“She loved sunflowers. It was her thing. Apparently, they symbolize adoration and longevity. My dad looked it up and gave her an entire bouquet, not knowing they were her favorite. Ever since, they’ve been everywhere. We had sunflower shower curtains, blankets, she even got a tattoo!”

Stiles was looking off into space, smiling as he spoke.

“The bow tie.” Derek said, snapping Stiles out of his monologue.

“What-oh, yeah.” Stiles looked over at the bow he’d left on the edge of the desk. “I’ve had it since I was little and have been wearing them ever since. I guess that’s my thing…Do you have one of those?”

Stiles looked to Derek, who was staring at Stiles.

“A thing?”

“A thing.”

“The Triskele,” Derek immediately answered. “Everyone in the main pack has a tattoo and I put it on anything that means something to me.”

“I’m guessing there’s not that many?” Stiles said quietly, reveling in the information even if he simultaneously locked it into his mind for further investigation.

“No. But it’s a mark that’s taken seriously by anyone who sees it.”

Stiles felt uneasiness slip into his mind but he kept himself composed.

“Considering who you guys are, that makes sense. Everyone knows the Hales.” Stiles continued chewing his food, thinking about Derek’s intensity. He wouldn’t be surprised if the Triskele was used as a warning sign. Stiles would have to look into it.

“You should go to sleep after you eat. It’s been a long day for you.”

Stiles smirked but nodded. However, there was one tiny problem.

“Where-um, what are you going to do?”

Derek ghost smiled, “I’ll be up working. You won’t mind the lamp will you?” He gestured toward the small light on the desk.

“Wh-wait. I’m sleeping here?” Stiles squeaked. Derek merely nodded, looking casual like he hadn’t just invited an unmated Omega to sleep in his bed.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Do you want one?”

Stiles’ eyes widened. But before his mind could catch up with his brain, he was already shaking his head.

“Good. I want you here. It’s safe.”

After that, Stiles finished his dinner in rapid speed, actually thankful for the silence. He was excited to get some space from the Hales, get back to a rational state of mind.

But he would be lying if the thought of never seeing Derek again made him anything else but empty. Well, in truth, he would probably be seeing him again.

It’s just that next time, Stiles would be looking at him through a jail cell, and Derek would loathe him. That felt worse so Stiles chose not to think about either.

Eventually, Stiles gave his dishes to Derek to put outside the door. He walked over to the huge bed just as Derek switched his lamp on and the lights off.

The room was casted into a dark but warm glow. It felt, cozy. And it reminded Stiles of how tired he was. With Derek still looking at him, he slipped his pants off.

He heard the Alpha breath in hard but Stiles refused to look at him. He was operating on little sleep and even less control.

He knew he had a fine ass, but he was two seconds away from wiggling it in Derek’s direction and that’s how people got pregnant.

He slipped into bed, still in Derek’s shirt, and was completely engulfed in the Alpha’s scent. He couldn’t help it, he let out a happy little whine.

The inner Omega in him was high on the smell. He let himself roll around, acting like he was getting comfortable but really, he just wanted that scent all over.

“Sleep.” Derek sounded strained as he walked over his desk, settling down onto the chair. Stiles wiggled his butt at him from under the covers, turning to stick his tongue out at him.

“Stiles.”

“Yeah, yeah sourwolf. Whatever you say.”

Stiles didn’t miss the way Derek tensed at the name and he wondered if he’d ever had a nickname. And then he wondered if he should be giving nicknames to people he planned to arrest. And then he wondered about the way Derek would look at him when that happened.

Eventually, Stiles’ mind quieted and he succumbed to the peacefulness of sleep, wrapped up in Derek’s scent, to the sound of his typing.

~ ~ ~

Stiles woke up to a heat that pulsed through his entire body. He squeezed his eyes together, exhausted and in pain, but so incredibly relaxed.

The Omega started fidgeting, trying to stretch his muscles without destroying his ribs. Suddenly, he was pulled against the body of an ox and Stiles ripped open his eyes.

“Derek, oh my god.”

The Alpha in questioned growled in his sleep and Stiles rolled his eyes so hard he saw his brain. He put his hands on Derek’s chest and pushed.

“Get off me you overgrown, moody dog.” Stiles was getting nowhere but it was pointless because Derek suddenly bit him. It was light, not even enough to make a mark. But those were definitely teeth in his neck. And that was enough to freak him out.

“Ah! Whaaaaaat the hell are you doing?” Stiles eyes widened in horror when he felt slickness in-between his ass cheeks. “Derek!” He cried out, eyes flashing gold.

Derek woke up in seconds, pinning Stiles underneath him with his arms raised above his head. Stiles was completely immobile. He was ashamed that it only made his slick problem that much worse.

Derek’s eyes were red, his face inches from Stiles with his teeth bared. Even this wild, Derek was totally in control.

“Sourwolf, I am not a murderer and I need to go to the bathroom.” Stiles should win trophies for how calm he could be is crises.

Derek snapped out of his daze, shaking his head hard.

“I’m sorry. Go” Derek jerked his head toward the door, pushing himself off Stiles. The Omega bolted from the bed, body hot and his mind a mess.

Stiles and Derek had an obvious attraction for each other, but he was going to pretend this never happened. For his own sanity, if nothing else.

~ ~ ~

“Stiles! Jesus Christ!” John barged into the hospital room and all eyes flew to him. Talia had insisted on taking him to get seen and she and Derek were waiting with him.

Stiles prayed his dad wouldn’t give anything away but the man was consumed with getting to his bed and throwing his arms around him.

Stiles gasped, “Broken ribs.” John pulled back, grabbing his shoulders with a stricken look on his face. His eyes were lined with dark circles and his cheeks were unnaturally sunken in.

“I’m so sorry dad, I just, with mom…” Stiles fell waves of guilt wash through him but John just sighed, tension rolling out of his shoulders.

“I know, I’m just…glad you’re alright.” He smiled at Stiles, tired but happy.

“Dad, uh, this is Derek and Talia Hale,” he said gesturing towards them. Being the cop he was, John acted perfectly. Not that the man had ever cared about them as much as Stiles did.

He turned toward them, eyes going sharp. “I cannot thank you enough for taking care of my son.” John was an Alpha in his own right, so the slight tilt of his neck was a huge sign of respect and even Stiles was surprised.

Talia’s eyebrows softened and she smiled brightly. “He’s the one who took care of us. And you too, all those years ago. It’s good to see you again John.”

Stiles looked back and forth, realizing that his parents had lived a chunk of their lives here. John had been a deputy and his mother a florist.

Every time Stiles grilled his dad about the Hales, the most he would tell him was that they were dangerous and to stay out of it. He wondered if there was more to it.

“Well, we’ll leave you two then. Stiles, it was so nice having you over, even if was a bit chaotic. I do hope to see you again.” Talia nodded at him, looking a little sad and Stiles wondered how good her acting was.

“Thank you guys for taking care of me and letting me stay. I hope I can repay you at some point.” Stiles felt a nasty tug in his gut. He meant what he said about his gratitude, but all his repayment would be is a pair of handcuffs.

Derek said nothing as he walked over to Stiles’ bed. He reached out, holding Stiles’ chin between his forefinger and thumb.

“No more late night ATV trips.” He said and Stiles cracked out a laugh. “Be good.”

After that, both of them left and Stiles fought off any feelings going through him. No more of that, he needed to refocus on the case.

That wouldn’t be hard because his dad turned to him sharply, worried-driven anger in his eyes.

“How could you-“

Stiles raised his hand, putting a finger to his lips and mouthing _later_. He couldn’t afford to fuck up the investigation because his dad didn’t watch his volume.

Thankfully, the urgent care in Beacon Hills didn’t see much action and he was back in his dad’s truck in no time. Painkillers in hand.

“I can’t believe you’d walk right in to their house.”

“Dad, I know they already briefed you. This is officially my job and I am going to do it right. I-“

“Do you have any idea who these people are Stiles?” His dad snapped.

“I know what anyone else who’s read their files knows.”

“Which is jack shit. That file is full of theories. Alleged crimes and sad biographies.”

“Then what do you know dad? You never even talk about them.” Stiles crossed his arms, feeling a headache start.

“I lived here Stiles. And no matter how much I tried, and believe me I did, I couldn’t find anything on them. We left, not just because of your mom, but because I couldn’t stand to live in a town that supported them. Everyone here is either a Hale, or under their protection. They are no good.”

“They took care of me.” Stiles couldn’t even believe those words had come out of his mouth. His dad laughed darkly, shaking his head.

“That’s what you think. And while I can’t stop you from taking this job, I can tell you this. Wise up, see past their bullshit otherwise you’ll end up dead without knowing what happened. And you stay away from Derek Hale, he’s the worst among them.”

Stiles shut up after that. His dad wouldn’t listen to anything he said anyway. And Stiles really had no business sticking up for the Hales.

John was right, if he wasn’t careful, he’d be dragged into their fake world. He needed to be smarter than them if he wanted to win.

But something still didn’t feel right. John had let him obsess over the Hales, but had never contributed much to it.

The sheer amount of malice in his words was shocking. Something must have happened for him to feel so strongly. It was like it was personal to John. Stiles kept racking up things to analyze, and it was barley 1 o’clock.

~ ~ ~

“Hey, my dad and I are getting ready to leave back to Portland now. We’ll meet you back there and I can tell you everything that happened.” Stiles said through his phone, Chris Argent on the other line.

“No, you aren’t. I need you at the station and put your game face on, the Hales are here.” Argent hung up and Stiles’ whole body twitched with anxiety. Fuck.

He didn’t know what this was about but his dad drove him there, just as stoned face as he was. Stiles slapped himself back into shape, falling into the chipper and naïve little Stiles he needed to be.

They walked through the door, and Stiles was hit by deja vu. He’d been here as a child, and despite not recognizing anything, the place felt familiar.

They were escorted to the back, passing several Hales in uniform. Stiles and John nodded to each one. Stiles was eventually led into a room, John having to stay back.

Inside, sat Talia, Peter, Derek, and Chris. Stiles let his lips form into a big grin.

“Long time no see.”

“Stiles,” Chris got to his feet, extending a hand, “I’m Chris Argent, FBI. I function as a floating agent, working in all jurisdictions on the west coast.”

Stiles reached out, shaking his hand like they’d never met.

“Nice to meet you. So ah, if you don’t mind me asking, what am I doing here?”

Chris gestured to the empty seat next to Derek and Stiles sank into it, ignoring the heat coming off the Alpha.

“As you all know, we have San Clegane in custody. Whoever he is working with is targeting werewolf packs across the U.S Up until to now, there’s only been small attacks. We thought they were isolated cases done by rooky hunters. We are now connecting them to a larger operation. The Hales, with the influence you have in the werewolf community, will need to work cooperatively with police departments and the FBI to track down whoever is running this. And Stiles, the Hales asked for you specifically. They want you to be their human contact which will allow them to establish friendly connections between them and other teams. Wereanimals aren’t entirely accepted yet, we need you to be the link.”

Stiles was pale with shock. He had expected this investigation to be a lot of hush hush and sneak sneak. Undercover work was not only new to him, but he had never thought this is how it would go. Regardless, he needed to calculate his reaction fast, and he better start getting used to that.

“Are you guys serious?” Stiles let hesitation slip into his giddy excitement, making sure to play at his inexperience.

Talia looked at him, her eyes shining. “I think the FBI could use an agent like you, and this is the first step in. Plus, we trust you, and we need that in this case.”

Derek was watching him as so many emotions played over his face. He didn’t know how much of that was true, but this was a big change.

“You really think I’m suited for the FBI?” Stiles asked. He knew he was, and it’s not that he’d never thought of it. But he was only 22.

“Just ask Derek, he’s the one who suggested it.”

Stiles’ gaze shot to the Alpha, eyes wide. Derek did that stupid lip quirk.

“You have potential.”

Stiles blushed down to his toes, and that wasn’t acting. Derek acknowledging him was doing all sorts of things to his head.

“Uh, oh-okay.”

Talia laughed, Derek didn’t take his eyes off him, and Peter sat behind them both, sneering.

“Stiles, we are giving you one more day of rest. We have people gathering leads now so tomorrow we will begin briefing and assign our next course of action. Until then, you are free to go. But Stiles, stay back so I can go over a few things with you, seeing as this is your first national case.” Chris said and everyone stood up.

“Alpha Hale, Agent Hale, Peter.” Chris dismissed, nodding to them.

“Wait…Agent Hale?” Who the hell was he talking about?

“Ah, right. Stiles, Derek is a member of the FBI, though he has been contracted through the CIA and military before. His public identity is that of a businessman who aids through Hale Corporations. And while he does do that, this is his main job. It’s kept secret seeing as many of his jobs are undercover.”

Stiles looked at Derek with impressed disbelief. Inside, he was panicking. He really shouldn’t’ be surprised at the sheer level of infiltration the Hales had achieved. But having their heir in the FBI with jobs in other national security organizations? They could have the whole world in their hands if they wanted to.

“The more you know.”

Stiles could see laugher in Derek’s eyes but the man only nodded his goodbye and followed the others out.

Stiles whipped his head toward Chris, looking shocked.

“The room is soundproof, don’t worry.”

“What the fuck was that?!”

“I don’t know what you did kid, but it worked. I don’t know if they see through you or not, but they would never invite someone to investigate alongside them, especially Derek. Now,” he prompted, sitting back down and Stiles followed.

“Tell me everything that happened.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this just got a whole lot more interesting. WOOOOO for multiple plot lines. You kill my brain, but oh, you are so much fun. 
> 
> I hope you all loved it! Have a great rest of your week!  
> P.S I need Jenna Marbles' new video to come out. ASAP.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real quick: ATTACK ON TITAN FINALLY RELEASED ALL THE EPISODES SO I BINGED IT AND I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. 
> 
> *Deep Breath* Moving on, I hope you all like this!!
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 7

* * *

 

_Talia Hale_

_Peter Hale_

_Scott McCall_

_Kira Yukimura_

_The Foster Pack_

_The Triskele_

_John’s history in Beacon Hills_

_ Derek Hale _

Stiles wrote down the list, underlining Derek’s name afterward. It was everything he needed to keep an eye out for, and gather as much information about as he could.

Across from him, Chris Argent nodded. The list was for him but he’d been talking as he wrote, going over everything that had happened during his stay with the Hales.

“And before you say anything about any of this, why didn’t you tell me Derek was in the FBI? He works in the same organization as you, this is insane.”

Stiles had been whirling since he found out but the implications kept building inside his head. Chris sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.

“Why do you think this is so complicated? It’s not just Beacon Hills that think rainbows shine out of their asses. Derek is a top agent, called on to do all sorts of work. Nothing shady either. Even from my point of view, he’s a boy scout with a bad attitude.”

“Then why are you investigating them? Wait, do your higher-ups even know?” Stiles was starting to feel sweat form on the nape of his neck. Investigating criminals was one thing, he couldn’t _become_ the criminal, no matter what the cause.

“Look, I’m not proud of this but I come from a family of hunters.” He held up his hand, stopping Stiles’ response. “Just here me out. The hunters act outside the law, which means there was no reason for the Hales, or anyone associated with them, to hide anything. They keep their public image clean, perfect by normal standards. But when I was little, my dad would take me on their excursions to gather information. See, law enforcement is bound by regulations. We can’t search without a warrant, can’t arrest without probable cause _at the very least_. And anyone who’s tried to bend the rules to catch them are arrested when they come forward because they’re the ones who appear unstable.”

Argent took a drink of his water, shaking his head like he needed weeks of sleep.

“But hunters don’t have any interest in turning them in, they just want them dead. So we did anything to get a lead. My dad had me breaking into houses before I even started puberty. Over time, we learned about a lot of their connections. But I quit when I was fifteen, I ran away with my sister and never looked back. I joined the FBI as soon as I could and I’ve been trying to bag them ever since.”

Stiles let that sink in, the sense in his words shocking him. “Why did you guys runaway?”

“…We had been out scouting one night. A group of kids, middle schoolers, were walking home from their friends. My dad and his buddies, killed them all. They were all werewolves. Cubs. Kate and I tried to stop them, but it was too late. That night, we ran. The Hales need to be brought down, but the hunters aren’t any better. So, for this mission, your main job is to act as the Hale’s ally. Help them find the people behind the hunting attacks. Gain any information you can on them but don’t do anything to get yourself caught, understand? Catching the hunters is priority, you get any new leads on the Hales while you do that, even better.”

Stiles swallowed, shaking his head in horror. He couldn’t imagine seeing anything like that, and going by the haunted look in the other’s eye, he never wanted to. “…I understand. And I assume they don’t trust you?”

“They know my background, so they never will. But no matter what they say, they don’t trust you either. There’s people within the FBI that believe the same that I do, so we aren’t alone. Hange, all those agents are on our side. But don’t let anyone trick you. If anyone hints at the Hales criminal record, you act like you have no idea what they are talking about. You walk out of this room and you are simply Stiles Stilinksi, newbie detective and friend of the Hales. Live that, see what else you can get, but be careful. Okay?”

Before Stiles could answer, a knock sounded at the door and the Omega jumped. He’d been so absorbed in Argent’s story, and the noise made his anxiety spike.

Chris walked to the door, pulling it open and Allison, from the café, stood there smiling. The two hugged but when she set her eyes on Stiles she jerked back.

“Uhhhh hey. Didn’t exactly expect to see you here.” Stiles said sheepishly.

“You know each other?” Chris asked, ushering Allison in and closing the door behind her.

“Yeah, I saw him at the shop a couple of days ago. What’re you doing here?”

“He’s helping us with the Hale case.”

“What?! Seriously?” Allison looked surprised but excited but Stiles was utterly confused.

“She’s my daughter.” Chris explained and Stiles’ eyes went wide.

“Thank god!” Stiles had been clueless about the party when he met her. Had she been a Hale, he would have already been caught.

“Yeah, lucked out huh? My name’s Allison Argent.”

“Stiles Stilinski.” He smiled, making his way to the door.

“Stiles, you’re good to go. I’ll be in touch tomorrow. I’ll explain everything to Allison, she’s been trying to win over the Hales for a while but no bite. If anything happens, you can count on her as an ally.”

Stiles smiled to Allison, feeling more confident now that he had someone he could trust.

The two shook hands and Stiles walked out the door, breathing deeply and stuffing the list in his pants. He began walking through the halls, turning the corner when he nearly bumped into someone.

“Derek?!” Stiles screamed, stepping back and tripping over his heel. Derek’s arms shot out, wrapping around his waist to steady him.

Heat raced through his blood but he shook his head, gathering his thoughts. “We need to have a serious talk about how to approach someone properly or I am gonna end up in the hospital with a serious heart condition and you’ll be sad.”

Derek rubbed Stiles’ back, attempting to slow his heartbeat down but achieving the complete opposite.

“Go to lunch with me.” It was said as a statement but Stiles could see the question in his eyes.

“Uhhh, yeah, sure. I just have to tell my dad,” Stiles pointed his thumb over his shoulder even though his dad was the other way. Call him Mr. Smooth Talker.

The Alpha nodded, releasing Stiles and letting him lead them out the rest of the way. His dad was sitting at one of the desks, laughing with a few other officers.

John caught sight of him, smiled, and waved him over. Stiles approached with Derek at his back. John didn’t even flinch.

“Stiles, these are just some of my old colleagues.” He gestured to them and they nodded in greeting. “You all set?”

“Yeah…about that. I’ve been given another assignment, so I’ll be staying for a while.” Stiles mumbled the end, feeling a small pang of guilt.

He didn’t live with his dad anymore, even in Portland, but they ate dinner together every day. Who would be there to make sure John didn’t eat his weight in carbs?

The Sherriff’s mouth twitched, but he could see Stiles’ struggle so he sighed, chuckling lightly.

“I understand, you can’t talk about it.” John got to his feet, walking over to Stiles and pulled him into a hug. “You be safe okay. Call when you can, and I’ll be fine.”

Stiles squeezed his dad back. They let go so John could say goodbye to his friends. Then, all three walked out of the department into the afternoon sun.

“No bacon, no fried food, no excess salt, no beer, make sure to exercise and get eight hours-“

“I will be _fine_.” John said, exasperated but amused “There’s a key where I usually keep it so you can get the rest of your clothes but you’ll need more.” Stiles gave him one last hug, promising to give him a call later.

There was a lot he wanted to tell him, to ask him. But with Derek in toe and Beacon Hills all around, it would have to wait.

“You watch over my son. He’s capable and will be your brains, but you need to take care of the rest.” John said, eyeing Derek who easily met the gaze.

“He’s much more than that,” was all Derek said but it made Stiles blush and John narrow his eyes. He gave Stiles the ‘be careful’ look and got into the truck.

They waved goodbye and Stiles watched his dad, the only person in the world he could ever really trust, leave him in the wolf’s den. And damn, if he ever needed to be a sheep in wolf’s skin, it was now.

Stiles turned to Derek, hands on his hips. “So lunch sounds peachy, amazing actually. But after that, I’ll need a car rental. Just something I can use to get around until we get our orders.”

“I can drive you where you need to go.”

Stiles gaped. “Uh, no. Sorry Max Muscles but I need clothes, dinner, a midnight snack, a shit ton of ibuprofen and Vix Vapor Rub. Oh, and I will need to drive back here tomorrow. Trust me, you don’t want to make that commitment.”

Derek looked like he was about to protest but Stiles put up his arms in an X.

“We can discuss this later when my stomach feels like it’s not about to eat itself. Let’s go!” He poked Derek in the chest, looking and feeling satisfied even if the Alpha rolled his eyes.

Derek clicked the unlock button on his keys and the black Camaro in the lot flashed to life. Stiles’ eyes bugged out and he might just have to reconsider the whole car thing.

Derek shook his head, knowing exactly what he was thinking but Stiles just stalked forward, unwilling to admit defeat.

~ ~ ~

“I still can’t believe you’re in the FBI,” Stiles mumbled, chomping into his hamburger. Derek sat across from him, working on his own. They were deep in a corner so werewolf or not, no one would hear them.

“I can’t believe you want to buy a pack of bow ties.” Derek retorted and Stiles rolled his eyes.

“Those aren’t on the same level and I need them. I only brought a couple with me and they make me look dignified. If I am going to be a good diplomat, they will need to see more than your sour face. Now stop changing the subject!”

“I can’t disclose that to just anyone. And I do work in other areas.”

“Hmmm, I guess. But why join?” Stiles was hoping he could get something out of this conversation other than a very near hard on. Watching that jaw chew had to be unhealthy.

“I’m good at it. And I’ve been able to keep people safe because of it. Simple as that.”

Stiles hated how genuine the answer sounded. He hated how, if he didn’t know any better, he would believe every single word.

Most of all though, he hated that he _wanted_ the words to be true. He would never admit that to himself, but he couldn’t stop the feeling.

“Why become a detective?” Derek asked. Stiles threw a fry into his mouth, thinking.

“I used to be obsessed with the idea since I was little. My dad was a cop, so originally, I wanted to do that. But my mom said I should take advantage of my brain and after she died, I was determined to make it happen.”

“How much of her do you remember?” Derek’s full attention was on Stiles and it wasn’t something the Omega was used to.

“A good amount. I don’t actually remember much from our life back then and once she got sick, that was all I could think about. But I remember how she looked, her scent, her food, stuff like that….Off topic, but I have a question.”

Derek nodded.

“You’ve gotta know what our next step is? I’ve been assigned to standard small cases since I started. And while I’m up for this, I could really use a heads up for what I should expect. Do we have any leads?” Stiles was on the team now, so the question wasn’t inappropriate.

Derek did his quarter-smile. “Clegane’s been in interrogation but he won’t talk.” The Alpha’s face turned grim and Stiles wondered what would have happened had the Hales been allowed to question him.

“But we can be reasonably sure that the hunter attacks that have been going on are connected to the same group. The most recent happened two weeks ago in Montana to the Claw Pack. They are small and the attack resulted in seven deaths. That’s our first spot. Argent is planning the details.”

Stiles sucked in a breath. Seven was a lot, especially for small packs. Werewolves had bonds to their pack mates, and when one died, they mourned for months or even years.

Derek was watching his reaction curiously but continued to eat. “The Claws are under our protection and we sent several out there to help out after it happened. The problem is their police force. Red Lodge, Montana has a population of around 2,000 people. Everyone knows everyone and werewolves, particularly in small towns, keep to themselves. The pack has their own reservation away from town. Going off my pack mate’s reports, the police half-assed the investigation, and kept anything they found under wraps…”

“…and that’s where I come in.” Stiles nodded, leaning back in his chair. Derek grunted an affirmative and Stiles laughed lightly. The Alpha was clearly not used to talking this much. But he always seemed to around Stiles. The Omega would _not_ be overanalyzing that later.

They began finishing up and Stiles grumbled, thinking about staying the night at his house, alone. Derek raised an eyebrow but Stiles shook his head.

He wouldn’t ask to stay at the Hale’s again. They may like him, but he needed to be careful not to overstay his welcome.

If he crossed a line, he may never get back on the right side. But he wouldn’t mind staying the night in Derek’s bed again.

“Oh fuck!” Stiles shouted, the entire restaurant snapping to attention. The Omega’s cheeks burned and he sank into his seat. Derek looked unsurprised, way too amused, but still confused.

“I, uh, I need suppressants.” Not only that, he was supposed to be starting his heat soon, all of the Hales believed that because of the pill. But in actuality, his heat would be here in a month. That wasn’t good. He’d have to deal with that little problem later, but regardless, he needed suppressants.

But he realized that pill had made its way out of his system, he no longer smelled as potent as last night. Think fast.

“I took half a scent blocker last night because I don’t have any suppressants but if we are gonna be on the road, I’ll need them.” Covered. Derek was even nodding, accepting the story.

“Have you ever been on them?”

“No. I…never needed them. My dad has a fully stocked basement and now that I have my own home, it’s never a problem.”

“My sister, Cora, is an Omega. She’s been on them for a while. You should know your first round triggers your heat.”

Stiles groaned, slapping his face. “Just my luck. How long do her’s usually last?”

“Two days.”

“Woah, really? I know they shorten heats and they aren’t as intense but that’s crazy. Mine lasts a full seven days.”

Derek’s jaw tensed as he swallowed and Stiles blushed again, but ignored it. This would be perfect. If he took the suppressants, it would trigger his heat and he wouldn’t be caught in a lie.

“Wait, how am I going to deal with a heat in Montana? I’m supposed to be working.” Stiles sighed hard in frustration.

This was why Omega’s in the police force were uncommon. Heats meant 4-7 days out of commission, not on the job.

Stiles hadn’t faced too much difficulty in the past, but now that it was a problem, he realized just how large an issue it was. How was he supposed to do his job, while also being undercover, if he couldn’t leave his room?

Would they even take him seriously? Stiles had worked so hard to get to this point, and he was right on the verge of one of his biggest cases. He couldn’t let his heat stop that, but then how-

“Stiles, calm down.” Derek said, eyes flashing a pale red. Stiles immediately felt lighter. It wasn’t to the same extent that a proper flash would evoke, and an Alpha’s purr was the most powerful, but it was something.

“Thank you,” Stiles looked down, embarrassed. He handled his anxiety very well these days but his heats made him out of control, and that always triggered him.

“They have a heat center in every city. I’m not sure when Argent is having us leave but we can arrange to have you take suppressants, check you into the center, and wait for it finish.”

“And put the whole thing on hold? Derek, what’s the point in me even going?” Stiles knew that taking that pill had been necessary, but he wished he had known it would cause an issue.

“Stiles, you’re an Omega. You have heats, it’s normal. My ruts don’t make me incapable of doing my job, but they are extremely distracting. However, if I need to rest, I do. We requested you as our aid, we won’t go back on that. This is simply something that we deal with, okay? There’s no need to make yourself feel bad about something you can’t control. We will establish ourselves in the Claw territory, and once you are back in shape, we’ll make contact with the police. It will be ok.”

Stiles felt his breath calming as Derek spoke and he was speechless after he was done. He had never really had a healthy relationship with his heats.

They were exhausting, painful, and they interfered with his life. But having someone, especially an Alpha, make it seem so normal was eye-opening.

So Stiles shook himself, feeling renewed. “Alright then. Take me to get a rental and I will get everything I need to done before tomorrow.”

~ ~ ~

Stiles looked at his medium sized suit case, packed to the brim, and felt smug satisfaction. After lunch the previous day, he’d gotten a car and was all over town gathering supplies, including his new suppressants.

He had a good amount of casual clothes with a few more formal options, just in case. And he’d even bought himself a new set of bow ties. He was currently wearing a green one.

The meeting in the morning had gone well. Stiles had stood in the corner, avoiding Derek because he needed to put some space between him and the werewolf mafia’s right hand man.

Chris had said everything Derek had, adding on the flight details and introducing everyone. The Claw, while small, was one of the oldest packs on the North American Continent.

He was able to talk to Chris in private to discuss the pill-heat issue and the Alpha reacted the same as Derek.

Their plane was set to take off the day after but he managed to get Stiles and earlier one so he could get set up in the heat center.

Stiles was surprised how understanding the man had been. He came off as a hard ass but he had zero problems helping accommodate Stiles.

Hange, the team’s IT specialist, hammered out the tech details so he had a connecting radio to everyone else. She was the only person from the Hale investigation there so it was good to see her.

Everyone else was either an FBI agent, all from separate districts, or Hale pack personal. Chris had explained that while they weren’t in law enforcement, their involvement was key to winning over pack trust.

Talia was too busy to accompany them but Laura, Cora, Peter, and Scott, were all there. Derek’s sisters were beautiful, Peter was still a creep, and Scott was someone he would be glad to work with. Even if all of them were ultimately on opposing sides.

However, other than a wave of acknowledgement, Stiles didn’t get to meet them, much less say hi to Derek. But the distance was good, it let him clear his mind before he had to navigate himself to Red Loge alone.

Stiles sighed, he just hoped everything went well.

~ ~ ~

_Derek’s POV_

“Do you really think this is a good idea?” Cora asked, looking at her mother who sat at the head of the table.

“Stiles is a good person, an asset to an investigation like this.” She responded.

“But you really trust him?” Laura looked suspicious, her mother wasn’t the type to put such faith in a stranger.

Talia paused before responding. “No. He’s a detective and we know how certain people in that field think of us. Regardless, I want you all to cooperate with him, and help him if you can. You know how to protect yourselves and the pack. This shouldn’t be a problem.”

Derek was sitting in his own chair, seemingly relaxed, but he had his own reservations. The Stilinksi’s had history here, and while Stiles knew none of that, he knew the boy was curious.

The Alpha had spent his time with Stiles by analyzing him. The Omega was smart, cunning like a fox would be. His inexperience would mean little if he could compensate with intelligence. Derek needed to learn more about him if he wanted to earn his trust, while also keeping the Hale’s safe.

“I’ll keep an eye on him. On all of them. Argent has been waiting for his chance to get close to us. The boy could be his pawn for all we know.” Peter said, arms crossed and eyes dark. The man had changed a long time ago, and was never the same since.

Talia nodded, hands folded on the table and focus drawn in her eyes. She looked up at her son.

“Derek, what do you think?” He knew she kept the question vague for a reason. But he wouldn’t give in to her pushing.

“I think I’ll be the one to keep an eye on him.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of information in this here chapter, but it's necessary! Things are gonna get more exciting as we move forwarrrrrrrd! 
> 
> I won't be writing it Derek's POV too much but I'm sure there will be little patches of it!
> 
> Have a great week everyone and thank you so much! <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Whispers* You are all lovely human beings and Starbucks' midnight mint mocha frappuccino is the beeeeeeest. Have a good weeeeek.
> 
> WARNING: Sexual things start to happen in this chapter peeps. Be warned! But also very excited *bats eyelashes* 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 8

* * *

 

The heat center was small but extremely welcoming. The whole town was like that. Stiles had to drive down there from the airport which he was a little nervous about, but once he was there, he immediately calmed down.

Downtown was composed of buildings no higher than two or three stories, close together like an old-school western town.

There was a huge mountain on the edge of the city and while he was happy it was still early summer, he knew the place would be beautiful all covered in snow.

The people were painfully nice. It was clear that he was an outsider, and yet everyone treated him with so much kindness that he didn’t feel overly out of place.

Maybe when he was old and senile, he’d move to a place like this. His room was clean, unscented, and full of everything he would need.

He had to fill out several forms when he got there, detailing his circumstances, mate status, and heat information.

Stiles never put much thought into his heats other than how to survive it. And sure, he had several sex toys to help him endure it, but that was more out of necessity than anything.

He’d heard about how much some Omega’s enjoyed their heats, but he honestly didn’t know how. The staff knew about the suppressants and had given him some brochures about what to expect.

Stiles had popped the pill into his mouth about an hour ago and he was currently watching TV while his skin slowly warmed.

According to the information, the first day would be a slow but intense build up, the second would be the peak of the heat, and the third would calm it down. He could probably leave after the second.

Because his body had never been on suppressants, this heat would be shorter, but more overwhelming than he was used to. Being unmated didn’t help.

The bed was ultra-soft, and he was starting to feel antsy, fluffing up the blankets and arranging the pillows into an appropriate nest.

He fished out several dildos and plugs, putting them near the bed so they would be easy to reach. The tub was easy to fill and he had non-perishable food in the pantry.

Stiles felt uncomfortable being so far from home, but this was a luxury he was going to take advantage of. He just hoped it passed quickly so he could start working again.

~ ~ ~

Stiles was pacing. It was only the night of the first day but they weren’t kidding when they said the build-up was fast.

He had been wet for a while now but the empty feeling was starting to drive him crazy. His skin was flushed with heat, his legs a little shaky.

“Damn it.” He grumbled, making a decision and walking toward the bed. He pulled off his underwear, the only piece of clothing he still had on, and climbed up.

“Stupid heats,” he snapped, reaching for a medium sized plug. He was wet enough to not need lube and honestly, he just needed something inside of him.

He fell onto one hand, pushing his chest down, arching his back, and splaying his legs wide. Stiles moaned, the position making something snap in his brain.

_Alpha_. The word pulsed in his mind, nearly spilling out of his mouth. He saw the image of red eyes and fangs that made his hole twitch.

Stiles reached back, plug in hand and face pushed into the cushion. The first touch of the silicone tip to his rim made him buck forward and bite into the sheet.

The arousal felt hotter than usual, but still irritating. So with a gentle push, he pressed the plug in. His hole stretched around it, squeezing around the bulbous head of it.

He felt it curl up against his prostate and an image of Derek flashed in his mind, the Alpha behind him with his teeth by his neck.

He gasped, his cock twitching painfully and for the first time during a heat, Stiles felt nothing but pleasure. His knees pressed further down into the duvet, his ass shifting back like he was seeking more.

Stiles’ mind was hazy like it had never been before. He had countless orgasms while in heat, and while they felt good, it was always overlaid with exhaustion and annoyance.

But not this time. Stiles whimpered into the pillow, letting himself cling to the fantasy of Derek behind him, thrusting into him.

He imagined the Alpha’s lips by his ear, growling to him about being a “good Omega.” Stiles opened his eyes, staring at the dildos next to the bed.

He needed one of them, now. So he crawled, feeling the plug strain up against his walls and he moaned, moving his hips to feel it more. He didn’t know if it was the suppressants, but he was on board.

Stiles reached out, but suddenly a high pitched ring came from the phone on the corner of the end table.

It was the ringtone signaling a call from someone on the team, most likely Chris. Stiles groaned, punching the side of the bed.

He had reported to Chris and Hange about arriving in Red Lodge but that had been it. Tomorrow he wouldn’t be coherent enough to talk on the phone so he had to answer now.

Stiles pressed his knees down, pushing his upper body forward so he could grab his phone. The movement made the plug shift inside of him and he bit his lip hard.

There was no stopping the heat but he had to pull himself together for this phone call, or die of embarrassment.

The Omega clicked the answer button and pressed the phone to his ear.

“Hello?” He squeezed his eyes shut, hating the coarse sound of his voice. He hoped he sounded closer to having the flu than he did to having an orgasm.

“Stiles.” The voice shot through the phone and Stiles keened, unable to stop his eyes from flashing and his back from arching.

He dropped the phone on the bed, his hips writhing uncontrollably. His irises wouldn’t cool down and his instincts were driving his rational mind out.

“Stiles, are you at the heat center?” Derek said, his voice far away now that the phone wasn’t to Stiles’ ear, but the effect was the same.

“D-Derek.” _Alpha_. Stiles was struggling to keep calm, having no idea what was happening. Whenever his heats got out of hand, they felt like a blurry memory.

After having an orgasm, things would calm down enough for him to eat and bathe. But the heat always came back.

This, was different. Stiles was in the right mind but he felt entirely out of control, like an inner part of himself was desperate to act in a certain way.

A growl came from the phone and Stiles whimpered, ass arching up against the plug. He crawled over to the phone, finger tapping rapidly until it hit the speaker button.

“What-ts…happ-pening?” Stile stuttered, terrified. He was trying to breathe, focusing on how the air pushed in and out of his lungs but it wasn’t working.

He felt an anxiety attack coming on and he groaned, his body still twitching. He started rutting his dripping dick into the sheets and moving his pelvis so the plug ghosted along his inner walls.

Derek could probably hear Stiles’ heartbeat, hard and increasing. “Stiles, calm down. It’s the heat.” His voice was deep and strained, it drove Stiles wild.

“D-D…It’s different. Derek…A-Alpha, help.” Stiles was mortified, but there was nothing he could do. His body was heating up more and more and the empty feeling inside of his was expanding.

Derek’s voice, even the thought of him on the other end, had him feeling desperate in a way he didn’t know how to describe. _Why isn’t he here?_

Another growl rumbled out of the phone and Stiles cried out, tears filling his eyes. Anxiety rippled up his arms, shivering up his spine until he was gasping.

He heard Derek shuffling, frustrated grunts translating through the speaker.

“Breathe, if your heartbeat gets any faster you could pass out. If that happens you’ll overheat.”

“I…umph-I need you.” Stiles tried pressing his lips into each other, trying to stop the words from coming. It didn’t matter if that’s how he felt, saying it was all kinds of inappropriate, but he couldn’t stop.

“Fuck,” Derek must of hit something because a loud bang came from across the line. Stiles was starting to feel hazy, his brain becoming muddled as the heat tore through his body.

He needed something larger inside of him and he needed to come. If he didn’t, the heat would overwhelm him.

Under normal circumstances, Stiles would be able to do that just fine, rational or not. But his internal struggle was stopping him from doing much more than whine.

Thoughts kept coming to mind that he refused to give into but if he didn’t do something soon, his body wouldn’t be able to take it.

“ **Calm down now**.”

Everything in Stiles’ body shuddered, his heart rate stabilizing to a normal, if a little high, rate of speed. His body twitched but ceased to spasm.

While Stiles was grateful for the reprieve on his body, his mind was even more of a mess. Derek had used his Alpha tone.

It wasn’t all powerful, it couldn’t make an Omega hurt itself. It could be used at any time, but Alpha’s were naturally drawn to do it when an Omega was in need of it.

This was a textbook example of when it was needed, and Stiles wanted to die. The Alpha tone was incredibly intimate, and felony charges could be held against anyone who abused the power.

Stiles would know. But he certainly didn’t feel like a capable detective at the moment. He had _never_ been commanded by an Alpha. And had that ever been the case, it wouldn’t have been from the mouth of a criminal.

Stiles wasn’t in the right mind to be processing any of this, and yet he was frozen, unable to accept any of this. Worst of all, the desperation for Derek hadn’t even remotely eased. If anything, it had gotten so much worse.

“Stiles, talk to me.” Stiles closed his eyes, letting Derek’s voice comfort the panic still gnawing on the edges of his mind.

“I-I’m here.” Stiles whispered, pain in his voice.

“You need to come, you have to calm the heat down.” Derek still sounded so sure, if a bit on edge.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Stiles sounded so small. He had never been this vulnerable with anyone since his mom had died.

“Do you have a toy with you?” Derek asked and Stiles’ eyes went wide. “Tell me.”

“…Yes.”

“Grab it.” Derek wasn’t using his Alpha tone, but it hardly mattered. His voice was like a guiding force, softening Stiles’ stress and giving him something to focus on.

So he reached over, grabbing the dildo at the same time as he pulled the plug out with his other hand. He moaned freely, unable to even _think_ about holding back.

“Good,” Derek said, dragging out the ‘o’ in a growl, as if satisfied. “Put it inside.” Stiles was panting hard but he _needed_ to obey.

He whimpered the second the head breached his rim. His hole opened for the toy, letting it slip inside easily.

“I-It’s in Derek.” Stiles felt himself squeeze around the base, his cock twitching hard against his stomach. He was shockingly close.

“Fuck yourself with it Stiles, I want to hear it.” There was ruffling sounds coming from over the phone. Derek was doing something but Stiles was reeling, too overwhelmed with the situation and Derek’s words to do anything other than feel.

Stiles grabbed the large base of it, pulled it back, and thrusted it back in, angling it directly for his prostate.

His face was right next to the phone, his cheek on the cushions and his mouth open in a desperate cry. After that, his hand did the work.

Derek started growling, the way an Alpha did when it wanted submission from an Omega during sex. The sound was meant to make Omega’s wetter and more pliant as the Alpha got increasingly aggressive.

It did just that. Stiles was mewling every time the shaft pushed into him. He wished Derek would continue to talk him through it, but he knew that wasn’t a good idea.

As it was, Stiles was already too confused to handle any more. For now, he’d settle for his imagination. In his mind, Derek was on his knees behind him, driving his thick cock into his hole.

The squelching noises made it a very convincing fantasy. He visualized Derek’s claws piercing the top layer of skin as they grabbed at his hip.

The other hand would be on his neck, encouraging submission but offering comfort. The last thing that came to his was the memory of Derek’s scent which had his eyes glowing again, his moans becoming more erratic.

“ _A-A-Alpha_ ,” Stiles cried, at the edge and needing something from Derek.

“ **Come for me**.”

Stiles almost blacked out. He didn’t know if his vision went or if he was just closing his eyes that hard. Electricity, which had been ghosting under his skin the whole time, now shot along his nerves and Stiles screamed out.

He pushed the dildo as far in as it would go and tears from exertion spilled down his cheeks. He was utterly wrecked, more than he’d ever been in his life.

When he came back to his senses, his body now flat on the bed, he heard the rhythmic vibrations coming from the phone.

Derek was purring. Stiles had never heard an Alpha purr other than his dad. The carnal intimacy of it was astonishing, and it instantly helped Stiles ground himself after the high he’d just been on.

But it also snapped Stiles out of whatever illusion he had allowed himself to be in. Derek Hale: murderer, criminal, corrupt federal agent, had just given him the best orgasm of his life over the phone. And he was purring to him.

The wrongness of the situation wasn’t felt in his body, which was languid underneath the blanket of Derek’s soft growls.

But intellectually, Stiles could only feel panic. His heartbeat rose and Derek knew it.

“Stiles-“

The Omega cut him off, slapping his finger down on the phone until the call was cut off. What the hell had he just done?

~ ~ ~

Stiles had turned his phone off for the second day. He knew it wasn’t the smartest thing, but Chris knew he where he was and it was too dangerous not to.

Stiles wasn’t clear headed enough to analyze exactly what had happened with Derek, but he knew they were getting too close.

His fingers weren’t coordinated enough to find the contact and call him while in deep heat, but turning it off made it even more difficult.

Not that he didn’t try. In the midst of the orgasms, all of which were sad in comparison to the one he had the previous day, Stiles tried to turn the phone back on several times.

Without his rational thinking, all he wanted was Derek. The Omega inside of him held no hesitation for that fact.

The sheer thought that Derek was driving into Red Lodge that very day was almost enough for Stiles to leave him room.

But the heat ultimately won, and if he wasn’t taking care or his normal human needs, he was stuffing himself full of toys. None of them could hold a candle to Derek’s voice, but they did the job.

By the time Stiles woke up on the third day, he felt like he had ran a marathon with a pogo stick up his ass. The second day had been just as bad as he thought it would, but compared to a full seven, it was worth it.

Now, the heat was merely a flush on his skin, the emptiness a mild discomfort. He was soaking in a bath when he finally turned his phone back on; he wasn’t sure what too expect

He had a single missed call, and three texts. One was from Chris, about letting him now when he was ready to be picked up.

The other was from his dad, telling him to call when he could and hoping he was doing well. The call and last text were both from Derek, and Stiles felt a tightening in his gut.

The text said:

We need to talk about what happened.

I will be the one picking you up.

Text me when you’re ready.

Jesus fuck. Stiles’ body felt tingly at the thought of seeing Derek, but his mind lit up with anxiety. He wasn’t put off by the forwardness of the text; that was just Derek.

But he had no idea what the Alpha wanted to say to him. He’d never been in a situation even remotely like this, and while Stiles valued honesty, a large part of himself just wanted to forget it happened.

But he knew that was impossible. If they were going to work together, and if Stiles was going to get anything on the Hales, they needed to discuss whatever it was between them.

So he got out of the tub, got ready, gathered his stuff, and left. He texted both Chris and Derek after checking out, waiting in the lobby until he saw Derek walk in.

Stiles felt shaky at the sight of him but held firm. The Alpha led him out to what must have been a rental car, meeting his eyes several times but staying silent.

Stiles probably smelled of post-heat pheromones but there was nothing he could do about that. His skin still felt a little sensitive, and he hated how his heart thumped upon seeing Derek.

The Alpha drove them to a parking lot outside of a little diner but didn’t move. Stiles guessed they would be talking here. There would be no privacy inside, and they couldn’t afford for gossip to pass around a town this small, not with their assignment on the line.

Derek unbuckled himself, turning slightly to look at Stiles who did the same. The Omega sighed, the silence wasn’t uncomfortable but it was imposing. He took in a gush on air and began.

“I know you did what you did to help me. I was in a bad place and the whole Alpha thing really helped. I know you didn’t-“

“I want to fuck you.”

Stiles chocked on the air making its way to his lungs. His face was red and that was most certainly the scent of arousal starting to heat up the car.

Derek’s voice was calm but the werewolf was making tight fists out of his hands.

“But that’s not going to happen.”

Stiles, while in full agreement, couldn’t help the crash of disappointment that swept through his body. The pain of rejection from this particular Alpha was hard to endure, even if Stiles wanted the same thing.

“We are compatible, our instincts know it; my wolf knows it. But we are colleagues now, the main priority is the case, always.”

Stiles nodded, hating this feeling but forcing himself to push forward.

“We need to agree on boundaries.” He murmured, ignoring the whining going on a loop in the back of his mind. “No touching, no being close enough to scent each other, no prolonged alone time.”

Derek sighed, nodding. He didn’t like this anymore than Stiles did.

“I will control myself, you don’t have to worry about that. But I don’t regret it. I’m glad it helped you. You sounded out of it when you answered the phone.”

Stiles scratched at his neck, shoulders hunching with the strange emotions making their way through him.

“Yeah, uh, I don’t exactly know what happened. But we should be getting back to everyone. Fill me in on what’s going on while we drive?” Stiles desperately wanted to move on to another topic.

Derek nodded, shooting him one last look before clicking in his seatbelt, turning the key, and driving off.  Stiles was looking at his hands when he decided to speak.

“Derek?” He said, refusing to look at the Alpha but knowing he had the man’s full attention, “thank you.”

Derek didn’t reply, and Stiles didn’t ask why. He didn’t need to. From here on out, it was all business.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My my, something had to give didn't it? I wonder what their determination to stay away from each other will bring? Time will tell!
> 
> Hope you all liked that! Your support makes Satan himself feel like a cuddle bug, so be proud of yourselves. <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There is a very brief mention of suicidal thoughts in this chapter, read with caution.
> 
> I hope you all are enjoying life! For my U.S friends, Happy almost-4th of July! Happy late Canada Day for those up North! And for anyone else celebrating something of some kind, have a good fucking day! 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 9

* * *

 

Stiles was fiddling with his purple bow tie as Derek ran through everything that had happened, which unfortunately, wasn’t much.

They had made contact with the Claw pack, and would be staying in cabins out on their reservation. The police were still uncooperative, the evidence still minimal, and the fallout was devastating.

Derek warned Stiles to prepare himself and Stiles understood the meaning. Omegas were incredibly empathic, so being around a pack in mourning would be a challenge.

And when they drove up, Stiles could already feel the desolation start to seep into his skin. The reservation was far enough from town to be isolated, but close enough to maintain convenience.

Going by appearance alone, the place looked nearly untouched. Stiles could spot a few bullet holes but most of the attack must have taken place outside.

When Stiles looked at the people standing outside, their faces were enough to have dread start to swirl in his belly.

Everyone had red rimmed eyes, sagging faces, and collapsed shoulders. They huddled together, arms crossed or holding their faces.

The kids were the worst off. They sat on the ground, scattered around the land, eyes dripping tears into the dirt below with their arms wrapped around themselves.

“What does losing pack members feel like?” Stiles murmured, eyes staring out the window. Derek was quiet for a few moments.

“The love you have for your father, you can feel it in your mind. If he died, that pain would exist there too. But when you have a bond with someone, when they are mates or pack, you feel the love with your whole body. Losing them not only destroys your mind, but your entire body suffers. The Hales are large, but when one person dies, it ripples across the whole pack to varying degrees. This pack is close knit, and to lose seven in one night…they aren’t doing well.”

Stiles shuddered, remembering his dad after his mother died. He sometimes wondered if his dad ever thought of ending his life, considering how bad he’d been.

The man had even been hospitalized for a while. Stiles had been suffering on his own so he didn’t really remember the early days.

It took John years to get back to normal functioning. But he’d lost a soul bond, and those are never replaced. Stiles felt guilt in his mind flutter open like a fresh wound. The Omega avoided attachments because of that, but also because if he ever lost something like that, he wouldn’t make it through.

By the look of the people around them, many of them were barely doing that.

“Are you going to be okay?” Derek asked and Stiles took a deep breath.

“I’ll be fine. We need to take care of them first.” Stiles met Derek’s eyes for the first time since their discussion and they held it for a moment.

The car eventually rolled to a stop and Stiles broke the contact. The second he exited the car, his little thing with Derek was over.  

At least he didn’t have to worry about distractions because when they both stepped out, everyone rushed them. Or Derek, rather.

You’d think he was god the way people ran to him. Stiles would have laughed had the situation been different.

The hope on their faces was obvious though, and Stiles could respect that. Derek represented one of the most powerful packs in the world, his presence was sure to cause an uproar.

Stiles was about to slink away when everyone turned their eyes to him, distrust flashing in their irises.

“Everyone, this is Stiles Stilinski. He is a detective, helping us on this case. Think of him as a contracted emissary.” Derek announced and everyone seemed to relax a bit.

Stiles felt a small rush of excitement over the word “emissary.” He knew Derek didn’t mean it in the werewolf use of the term, but it made Stiles excited nonetheless.

“Derek, everyone is waiting inside.” A deep voice rumbled from the porch of a large cabin. Stiles looked over to see a middle aged, dark skinned man with a cane looking over.

Stiles had done some research on the Claw pack before arriving, and he recognized the man to be Chief Joseph Claw.

On top of being werewolves, the Claws were also an Indian tribe, and this man was their Alpha and leader. He had hard wrinkles carved into soft skin and a very paternal presence.

Stiles knew he was probably facing the most hardship here, but the man carried a hefty amount of resilience in his face alone. The Omega could see the anger boiling inside him though.

Derek motioned for Stiles to follow and he did, maneuvering around the group of people with mild difficulty.

Stiles wouldn’t have to worry about getting close to Derek if this kept up. He was barely able to s _ee_ him. They were led inside and Stiles immediately spotted Laura, Cora, Peter, Scott, Deaton, Chris, Hange, and the other members of the team.

Like Derek, they were sitting at a table overflowing with other people. Everyone was laughing, even if the sound was empty of genuine happiness.

And of course, everyone turned to stare at them when they walked in. Stiles was not one for attention, but neither was Derek and he was handling it like a pro. Stiles wished he could slap him.

They walked over to the table where everyone else was and two people got out of the way so they could sit…next to each other. The universe had a really sick sense of humor.

Derek shot Stiles a look but the Omega ignored it, plopping down and waiting for the Alpha to do the same. Their legs had no other choice but to press against each other and Stiles had to bite the inside of his cheek so he wouldn’t react.

“Glad you made it,” Laura said, smiling warmly. Stiles had learned she was in charge of many of the Hale communication and out-reach businesses. They had roles in charity, non-profits, and several foundations. Cora, who sat next to her, was studying journalism in college.

The more he learned about the individual Hales, the more uneasy he felt. It was so easy to see how they hid everything, why no one even wanted to question their actions.

Chris’ and Hange’s presence helped calm him a bit, but the knowledge nagged at his brain. Regardless, a smile came to his lips and he nodded at everyone else.

A throat cleared to the side of them and Stiles looked up to see the Chief standing on a small stage. This must be where they gathered.

“I won’t bother with formalities, the loss we have endured won’t be easily mourned. However, I want you all to keep in mind we are not the only ones facing such pain. The hunters have attacked several packs from all around the U.S. Today, we’ve welcomed a team from the FBI and a few wolves from the Hale pack themselves. I want you all to be cooperative with their work and welcome them any way that you can.”

A round of stern nods and grunted replies followed. “They’ll be staying in the guest cabins and we will all be eating here as usual. I know we’ve gone through a lot, but try to make the best out of this. Their deaths might mean we can catch the hunters, and prevent further harm. Let that comfort you all. Enjoy the food.”

Chief Joseph clutched his chest as he spoke, and Stiles could feel the pain rippling through the crowd. He stepped down just as food started being passed around.

Stiles sagged a bit, thinking of the people who had passed. He had read the reports. Seven people dead, four of which were children.

He wondered where their families were, if they were even showing their faces yet. Stiles knew he wouldn’t be able to so soon, if he ever lost his dad.

Derek slid a plate in front of him and Stiles smiled softly in appreciation. So much for keeping their distance.

They were definitely close enough to smell each other, but surrounded by everyone else, it wasn’t a huge problem.

Derek thigh, which was pressing against Stiles’, certainly was though.

“Stiles, how are your ribs?” Deaton asked out of the blue, looking across the table to address him.

“Oh, their fine. They weren’t bad cracks to begin with and the hospital gave me great pain meds. Thanks again, for helping me.”

Stiles didn’t know exactly how to feel about Deaton. It seemed like the man knew more than he would ever say. He was the Hale’s emissary, so that was probably why.

If he had been less intelligent, Stiles might probe him for information, but he knew Deaton would find that too suspicious.

“Stiles, we didn’t get to meet you properly.” Laura said, motioning to her and Cora. “Thank you for helping us with this. My brother was pretty insistent to have you on the case.”

Her voice was light but Stiles could hear the lit of humor underneath. He laughed, going for bashful.  The acting was getting old, especially when Stiles preferred honesty. But it would have to do for now.

“We need to decide on sleeping arrangements,” Chris interrupted, looking pensive. He must be antsy to get started.

“The Hales in one cabin, FBI in the others.” Peter said and no one seemed to question it.  Stiles looked around, the odd one out. He wasn’t a Hale but he wasn’t exactly FBI. But he didn’t say anything.

It was clear he didn’t belong with the Hales, but staying there would offer a lot of opportunities. He decided to wait until later to figure it out.

While they finished eating, the sound of sullen conversation floated throughout the room. Cora and her older sister grilled Stiles in a one-way game of twenty questions.  He took it like a champ, refusing to acknowledge the side eye Derek would shoot him every few minutes.

They cleared their plates and Stiles got the hell away from Derek, jogging up to Chris who was standing with Hange.

“What’s our first step? Did you guys get any new evidence while I was locked up?”

“Other than wolfsbane bullets from the bodies, nothing. I just made a call to the sheriff though, he’ll be here soon. It was an FBI request but this is where I need you to do your thing.”

Stiles nodded, taking a deep breath when Hange slapped him on the back.

“Break a leg!” She said, looking satisfied and Stiles laughed, feeling looser. He was the key here, after all. If he didn’t do this correctly, these people might never get any closure.

They all made their way out, Derek’s eyes on Stiles’ back making the Omega’s stomach flutter. He ignored it, shifting uncomfortably in his clothes and willing his skin to calm down.

The sun was starting its descent when the cop cars showed up. It was only a handful of officers but Stiles followed Chris as they approached.

“Argent,” the front man greeted. He was of stocky build with graying hair. Despite his age, he looked strong, if a bit tired.

“Sheriff,” Chris retorted, posture respectful but on edge. “This is Stiles Stilinski, detective and contracted to be our aid. Stiles, this is Sheriff Ben Larson.”

Stiles stepped forward, offering his hand. The sheriff eyed him up and down, grabbing his hand but not shaking.

“Stilinski, huh?”

“Yes sir.” Stiles didn’t want to say too much, and he needed to be careful about his attitude.

“Any connection to John Stilinski?” The man raised an eyebrow and Stiles grinned.

“The sheriff of the PPD? I’m his son.” Stiles could see a light in the man’s eyes and he smiled, shaking his hand with enthusiasm.

“I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him at conferences and even at some of the training academies. He’s made friends of every sheriff on the west coast. Figures his son would be a detective.”

Stiles did a happy dance in his mind. He’d have to thank his dad later for being a social butterfly among the police community.

“Yeah, he’s great isn’t he?” Stiles laughed lightly, analyzing the man’s expression while he nodded.

“It’s interesting that you’d be here with them though,” Larson jerked his head at the group of werewolves behind them, a disgusted look on his face.

That took Stiles aback, but he kept his face carefully composed.

“Nothing like gaining experience in the field, you must know that the best.” Stiles didn’t want to insult the people he came to help, but he needed to be on this guy’s good side. 

“Damn straight,” he chuckled. “Well, John’s done right by me and I’d like to return the favor. You come by the department tomorrow morning and we’ll discuss details.”

“That would be amazing sir, thank you. I’ll be there.” Stiles let his eyes beam, like a little kid getting praised.

The man was an Alpha so Stiles knew the act would trigger a positive response. Going by the smile, it had.

Sheriff Larson leaned close to Chris, “You keep this boy safe from those animal fuckers.” The words had been said quietly, but loud enough for all werewolves to hear.

Stiles bit his tongue, feeling the pain and latching onto it so he didn’t open his mouth. So this was the problem.

Wereanimals kept to themselves, werewolves especially. So if you were a human with little exposure to them, Stiles could see being hesitant or intimidated.

But this was simple prejudice and while Stiles could understand how something like that came to be, it didn’t make it okay.

They probably didn’t give two fucks about the seven who had died, they were just doing their jobs. Stiles had no idea how he was supposed to work with people like that while maintain his cover, and his integrity.

Larson and the others got into their cars, driving away and leaving a sad trail of smoke in their wake.

“You see that?” A voice called form behind them. Stiles and Chris turned, watching as an elderly woman stalked up to them, tears streaming down their faces.

“Because of him and people like that, the people who killed my daughter and grandson are running around, free!” She screamed, chocking on a sob.

“Because of people like you,” she seethed, jabbing Chris in the chest enough to push him a foot back. Elderly or not, this woman was still a werewolf. Stiles felt himself tense, feeling helpless. Chris’ eyes were dark but his lips were held closed.

“Don’t think we don’t know you _Argent_ ,” she spat the word, her voice croaking with age and fury, “you find the people who did this! Not every were is forgiving, and I know just who to call: the families of the people your hunters helped slaughter!”

Her hand came up, slamming across Chris’ cheek. His head jerked hard to the side as she yelled the last word.

Chris took the hit, stumbling to the side but Peter was already walking toward them, his eyes starting to burn red.

“Why wait? He already knows who did this. He’s probably in contact with them, waiting to kill the rest of us off.” Peter started charging and Stiles stepped in between them.

Peter’s claws were raised high, dragging down hard and fast. Stiles raised his hands, wincing and waiting for the pain the bloom on his skin.

But it never came. Instead, a deafening roar filled the forest, ringing in Stiles’ ears like a grenade. In seconds, his body was pressed up against Derek’s hardness.

Stiles felt queasy that he was able to tell it was the Alpha without even seeing him. He let himself bury his face in the man’s chest, covering his ears so the roar couldn’t rupture his eardrums.

Instead, he could feel the vibrations coming from Derek’s chest, feeling them through his own body like energy that made his cells buzz.

The roar died down eventually, but Stiles stayed pressed against the Alpha. He’d never felt this safe in his entire life, and it was hard to let that feeling go, even if his subconscious was warning him to get the hell away.

“Stiles, are you okay?” Derek asked into his ear, his voice quiet. He shivered, the feeling waking him up and he pushed back rapidly, stumbling back.

Derek caught his elbows, steading him.

“Yes! I mean, yeah, I’m fine. Is Chris okay?” He tried peering around Derek’s frame, avoiding the Alpha’s eyes.

A nasty bruise was already forming on Chris’ cheek, but at least the woman had enough control not to break his jaw. The look of his face was shock, but mostly intrigued. He looked between Stiles and Derek with critical eyes. Great, he’d be under his suspect now too.

Stiles turned around, suddenly remembering the whole reason his agreement with Derek had went to shit. Peter was on the ground, his hand pressed to his chest which had deep gashes in it.

Stiles looked back to see blood coating one of Derek’s hands, his claws still extracted. His eyes went wide. Oh god.

“You’d pick a human over your family?” Peter snarled, wounds slowly healing but the sound of betrayal was deeply etched in his voice.

“Stop, Peter. I trust Argent as much as you all do, but he’s done nothing to provoke your aggression. The police, this town, they are one thing. Don’t let your anger blind you, or we’ve already lost to the hunters.”

The last statement was said to everyone, their eyes casting downwards. The old woman sighed, face crumpling into her hands as her crying started back up.

Stiles felt helpless once again, and he hated it. He wasn’t going to let this happen. There was a silence floating among everyone and Stiles couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Listen, I never knew things were like this. I’ve only been around people who were, at the worst, ambivalent about weres. I don’t know how to tell you how sorry I am that you have to experience any of this. But what I do know, is that that sheriff, thus far, likes me. He’ll listen to me. You all have to know, right now, that I am on your side. But if I want to help you, and find those hunters, I need to appease the authorities first. I will not pretend to be a bigot to do so, but I won’t be able to stand up for all of you as I would like. I’m sorry. I know that isn’t saying much, but I will do everything I can. I promise.”

Stiles finished, meeting everyone’s eyes but feeling simultaneously worse. Had that been another situation, Stiles would have told the sheriff off.

The fact that he couldn’t, and wouldn’t be able to in the future, left a disgusting taste in his mouth. He turned and walked away, going to gather the luggage he’d left in the rental car.

The walk back was silent, and Stiles brooded over everything. He would need to work with the police to get information, which meant listening to Larson’s snide comments.

But he couldn’t forget his other motive, the one that began all of this: his desire to catch the Hales. He was being pulled in multiple different directions, not really having a side to stand on.

Even Chris, who had been a hunter himself, was questionable. The only he could rely on was himself, and in the middle of the forest, that was as unsupportive as he could get.

He managed to get his bags, grateful that Derek had left the doors unlocked. The sun was starting to dip even further, almost to the horizon.

Stiles could use some sleep, and some simple time to plan out how tomorrow would go. He was walking back when Hange ran up to him.

“Hey Bow!” She said, grinning. Stiles couldn’t help but laugh out a sigh, at least she was still the same. “I’ll walk you to the cabins. Do you know where you’re staying?”

“Ah, now that you say it, no. I guess I can stay wherever huh?”

“Your call. I know things got tense back there but everyone still seems to trust you. Especially seeing as Derek defended you, that’s a huge sign to the Claws.”

Stiles nodded, figuring as much. The fact that he was actually trying to put the Alpha in jail sat like a rock in his stomach. He was doing it for a good cause, but he still felt like a traitor.

They passed a bonfire, and Stiles noticed the Hales were missing. They were probably off discussing what just happened. Derek had injured his uncle, and while Stiles couldn’t say he felt bad about it, he knew it would cause problems.

“The one on the left it ours, the right is the Hales. I gotta go and get set up myself. We’ve been running background checks on every known hunter in the system, hoping to catch some sort of connection. I’ll let you know if we find anything.” Hange said, walking backwards.

She shot him a mini salute and headed for her cabin. Stiles sighed, looking at the two buildings and feeling more of that wonderful confliction he was getting so used to.

But he knew what he needed to do. After the confrontation, and the future of having to deal with those bigoted idiots, Stiles needed to make a public gesture.

So he started for the Hale cabin, with the intention of gaining more of the Claw’s trust, and winning more private time with the Hales.

When he got closer, he heard yelling. He was too far to make the words out clearly, but curiosity shot through him.

Stiles acted as if he was headed toward the other cabin, quieting his footsteps so they wouldn’t hear him. With all the yelling, he doubted they would.

When he got to the back he made a beeline for the other building, walking as silently as possible. Eventually, he could start making out the voices.

“Where the hell do they get off?!” It was Cora. “And Peter, didn’t you think attacking that bastard would have been a better idea than pissing off Argent?”

“And risk gaining even more police attention?” Peter argued.

“Because going after Argent doesn’t do that as it is.” Laura said, her voice raised but mostly out of exasperation.

“He’s a hunter, I think we have a right to be suspicious.” Scott pitched in, though he sounded unsure.

“He _was_ a hunter. That doesn’t-“

“Don’t you dare,” Peter growled, cutting Laura off. His voice dropped several octaves, taking on a sinister tone. “You know what that bastard and his family did. They all deserve to die.”

The hair on Stiles’ back stood up and he repressed a full body shudder.

“Enough,” Derek said, voice at a normal tone but full of thinly veiled anger. “Don’t forget why we are here. We protect the were world. The hunters have gotten out of hand, and I fully intend on fixing that. But we need the FBI to do that. All of you need to control yourselves.”

Peter scoffed, “We need Stilinksi. He waves his cunt in their direction-“

Derek growled, making the logs of the cabin shake.

“Why do you insist on defending him?” Peter growled right back. “He’s not one of us, and if he knew anything, he wouldn’t be so keen on standing up for weres.”

“He’s pure,” Laura said, almost sounding sad. “You can tell. He’s the only person in law enforcement that doesn’t admire us or hate us. He trusts us, and I don’t know very many people outside of our circle who is like that anymore.”

Peter chuckled darkly. “That’s only because-“

“Stop. I don’t want you talking about him. He’s the best hope we have of working with police to help get us a lead on the hunters.”

“You say that even as you grow possessive of him.” It was Deaton.

“I’m aware. It’s not going to be a problem.”

“You just make sure he proves useful, or we’ll have to take care of the police officer ourselves. Our contacts are on standby.” Peter said, voice finally lowering to a normal level despite maintaining its irritated edge.

“Stay away from him, and he will be.” Derek finished.

Stiles stood by the back window, emotions slamming into him so fast, and with such force, that he had no real idea which one was which.

Except for Peter and maybe Deaton, they all believed Stiles to be as naïve as he had led them to. Derek had even lashed out at a family member for him.

But the proof was there. The Hales were hiding something, and while Stiles had always known that, hearing it in this context made him sick.

Stiles felt his lungs tighten painfully. The pressure building on his shoulders was so intense, and the emotions so overwhelming, he didn’t know when it would snap.

What was he supposed to do?

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooooooh boi. My brain would melt if I was Stiles right now. I wanted this to be shorter than my last fic, but the story that I have planned in my mind is a monster. I don't know guys, hold on tight. 
> 
> Leave some love and have a great week! <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have a controversial chapter here y'all. It's only going to get more complicated from here on out. But stick around! It's worth it ;)  
> Thank you for your patience! Life is good but busy! I hope this makes up for it! 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 10

* * *

 

Stiles had snuck back to the other cabin, dropped his bags by the back door, and stalked into the forest. His mind was looping around itself, trying to make sense out of all the pieces of information he had.

He knew he couldn’t trust anyone; he knew that coming into this. Hell, he knew that when he decided to become a detective. It was a reality of this kind of work.

But he was keenly aware of his emotions, and they were all over the place. For a situation like this, that was the last thing he needed.

It was pointless to deny that he was drawn to Derek. That under different circumstances, Stiles would have no qualms becoming even more interested.

But that’s not what this was. And while he may have been deluded enough to harbor some sort of unconscious hope, Peter’s words crushed that.

It was true that he had confirmed nothing, not really. Regardless, the Hales had something to hide, to the point that his dad was even caught up in it.

Until he had anything definitive, he seriously needed to pull it together. Tomorrow would be a test at not only his acting, but his patience.

Stiles would need to continue with the proud yet naïve detective, but he would need to keep his attitude in check. Authority meant very little to him but he would need to pretend it did.

His objective was to get as much information on the attack as possible. He would attempt to create good relations between the two groups, but as it was, Stiles didn’t want to be unrealistic.

He sighed, kicking a stray twig on the ground. It flew to the side and Stiles looked up into the thicket of trees, thankful for the quite moment.

A bang sounded, one that Stiles knew was a gunshot. But what was more shocking was the hot pain that came from his shoulder, and the gush of blood that followed.

Stiles hissed, trying to be silent but the pain took him off guard. The bullet had grazed him but whoever had shot it was still out there.

Another bullet flew by and he dropped to his belly. Shit. Thankfully, the sound would be obvious to the werewolves, who would be here any second.

But Stiles couldn’t let this opportunity slip. He started crawling forward, cringing at the sound of the leaves rustling underneath him but he couldn’t afford to slow down.

More bullets flew overhead, coming too close for comfort but never hitting him. Stiles’ stomach dragged across the ground, his shoulder blades popping up and rolling as he shifted forward. At this rate, his ribs were going to take forever to fully heal.

He heard growls from behind him just as he spotted boots hiding in the brush. The person was getting ready to turn around and Stiles couldn’t let them get away.  

So he shot up and sprinted, arms pumping and his body bracing for impact. It was too dark to get a good look at the face but it didn’t matter.

Stiles dove forward, arms wrapping around the person’s waist and using his momentum to wrestle them to the ground.

The gun rang out a few more times, probably out of reflex. Stiles just hoped it didn’t shoot anyone. The person was a male, Beta, and surprisingly older.

They continued to struggle, Stiles using his training to avoid getting injured but the man was flailing around desperately.

The growls were right behind him and he shouted out so they knew it was him. Stiles was able to elbow the man in the stomach before he was thrown off.

The hunter groaned but Stiles wasn’t done. He reached back, wrapping his hand around the hilt of his pocket knife that sat in his back pocket.

He whipped his wrist around, flicking the switch blade open just as the man swung the butt of his gun at Stiles.

The Omega crouched, using his thighs to push forward with the blade arching sideways. He grabbed the gun, shifting his body weight so it flew past his head.

Stiles pushed his hand out, slashing across the man’s ribs. It wouldn’t made him bleed out but it was a nasty gash nonetheless.

He groaned clutching his middle right when a giant wolf laded next to them. Stiles knew that scent, it was Derek.

Stiles stared up at the massive form that was the Alpha, his eyes splitting open wider than he thought possible and his heart beating like a machine gun. It was dark so the details were hazy but the outline of him was still impressive.

Alpha werewolves were big, he knew that. In the academy, he’d been exposed to them so he knew what every shifted were looked like.

Werewolves were larger than their strictly animal counterpart, but Alphas were almost monsters. And Derek was something else entirely.

He stood on four legs, but Stiles knew he could easily balance on two, reaching taller than seven feet. His lips were peeled back over a huge snout lined with sharp teeth.

Derek’s shoulders were wide like a trunk, the muscles and bones underneath perfectly suited for a predator.

And his eyes: a burning dark red that glowed like bloody orbs in the darkness. They were trained on the hunter who was frozen, holding onto his bleeding skin.

Stiles couldn’t see him well with such little light but he could tell he had an angry grimace on his face, the dark shadows making him look like a ghost.

Stiles saw the twitch in the hunter’s muscles, hinting at running. Before he knew it, he was moving, attacking the man and hitting the side of his temple with the handle of his knife.

He put just enough pressure to make him pass out. The man slumped over and Stiles leaned back, sighing deeply and only then feeling the lingering pain in his own ribs.

Suddenly there was a very hot muzzle in his neck, huffing and nuzzling. Stiles gasped, baring his neck on instinct and arching his back.

Derek’s huge wolfy body circled him, sniffing his body and checking for any damage. Stiles had never been so close to a shifted werewolf before, especially an Alpha. It was making his mind turn into a gooey puddle.

“D-Derek,” He whispered, trying not to be obvious when he knew other wolves were right behind them. From what Stiles knew of pack etiquette, the others wouldn’t move in until the Alpha gave the call.

Derek was the highest ranking Alpha here, hence why he had come charging in. But that didn’t mean the others weren’t close behind and Stiles needed to keep calm.

Not that he was scared, because in reality he was being inappropriate again but they didn’t need to know that.

When Derek was done looking the Omega over, he huffed in satisfaction. He lifted his head, howling just enough for the others to start moving in.

Stiles rolled his eyes, feeling his body finally relax now that the immediate danger was over. Now it was about figuring out who the hell this hunter was.

~ ~ ~

Stiles sat in a corner chair, heavy eyed, but pretty shocked. The hunter had to be in his fifties, with greying brown hair that reached the nape of his neck and developing wrinkles.

Chris, was pissed. Not even a second after he had put a flash light on the unconscious body, he scowled, kicking him hard in the stomach.

They eventually dragged him back to the cabins, tying him to a chair in one of the basements. It turns out, the man they were currently staring at, was Alexander Argent.

He was Chris’ uncle and had been high ranking among the hunters back in the day. The last Chris had heard, he was still working with Gerald, Chris’ dad. But he’d lost contacts with them years ago.

And then there was Peter, who had to be restrained after seeing who it was. Stiles needed to find out what the hell that was for.

 So far, everyone was talking in hushed tones, waiting for Alexander to wake up. Deaton had at least bandaged him up, the gun wound being painful but small.

Alexander had a broken rib and the knife cut to his stomach. Stiles didn’t know whether to be proud of himself or irritated.

But it didn’t take long for him to lose his patience. He pushed himself off from the chair, ignoring the glances shot his way, and walked quickly upstairs.

He could hear Peter’s yelled curses from here. Stiles followed them to the second floor and into one of the corner rooms.

Inside, Laura and Cora were trying to calm him down, albeit unsuccessfully. They both whirled around when he came in and Peter shot him a nasty look.

“What do you want boy?”

“I need to talk to you.” He held up his hand, stopping whatever any of them were going to say. “I’m serious. Chris is too busy talking to everyone else trying to figure out why the hell that guy is here and if he is connected to any of this. But you, you’ve been a prick since the moment I met you. I thought ‘hey, maybe he’s just an asshole.’ And while that’s completely true, you have some history with hunters don’t you? You charged Chris and then flip out over this guy, what gives?”

Stiles took a deep breath after getting all that out, his voice slightly raised but still calm. Peter stared at him for a couple of beats but eventually jerked his head at the door.

“You two, give us some privacy.” He said to the girls who looked unimpressed. “I won’t do anything or go anywhere.”

“I’ll stab him if he does,” Stiles said, only half joking.

“Why is everyone in this family fucked in the head?” Cora asked, grabbing her sister’s hand and heading out the door.

“So, what the hell is your problem?” Stiles asked, arms crossing and head starting to develop a small ache.

“I’m surprised Argent didn’t tell you. Although, his probably doesn’t even know, considering he ran away right when it happened.”  Peter’s eyes looked far away and Stiles got really confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“Argent tell you the reason he isn’t a hunter anymore? You’re too in everyone’s business not to know about him.”

Stiles’ memory went back to the story about the kids being killed. “What about it?”

“Wolfsbane bullets were hard to come by back then, so when hunters wanted to kill, they had to beat us to death. Those kids that they killed? They were my friends, we were walking home. Gerald and Alexander led the attack. Fuckers missed my internal organs but they broke both of my legs. I had to watch all of them die, all while Argent and his sister ran. That was when we still lived in New York.”

Stiles didn’t know what to be more shaken with, the fact that Peter had been one of the kids, or the face he was currently making.

The Alpha looked broken, his eyes staring at the ground with his fists bundled up tightly. Stiles could understand the hatred now, even feeling a wealth of sympathy for him.

“I’m…sorry.” Stiles waited for a moment, letting the words linger. “But why hate me? I know you don’t trust me, but that doesn’t normally mean treating someone like shit.”

Peter scoffed, laughing under his breath and shaking his head “You ever wonder why your dad really left Beacon Hills?”

Stiles’ eyes narrowed and he felt irritation whirl through his throat. “Because my mom died.” Peter nodded, as if that was obvious.

“Yeah, that she did. But that’s just the surface of it, and you know it. Regardless, all you are is trouble. I’ll do anything to protect my pack, and if that means being an asshole, so be it.” Peter sneered and Stiles wanted to hiss at him.

“What do you know?”

“Ha!” Peter rolled his eyes. “You honestly think I’ll tell you? I thought you were smarter than that.”

“Fine, I got what I wanted anyway.” Stiles turned on his heel, the pain in his head flaring. He might have gotten some useful information from Peter, but talking to the guy pissed him off.

“Try and find out, little detective. It will be good entertainment for me.”

Stiles slammed the door on his way out.

~ ~ ~

Alexander was awake when he got back, but he only knew that because he could hear the man groaning from beyond the basement door.

Stiles’ eyes went wide with horror and he started pounding on the door. It swung open not much later, Hange looking at him with a frown on her face.

“Are you torturing him?” Stiles asked, shock lacing his voice.

“Come in, we’ll explain.”

Stiles charged in but his feet were cemented to the floor when his eyes landed on Derek. The Alpha had black gloves on, blood smeared over the material.

He stood sideways to him, but his eyes were on Alexander who had a broken and bloody nose.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Stiles looked over, finding Chris in the corner chair he had been in, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

The exhausted agent looked up and sighed. “Before you freak out, know that we called this in. They didn’t believe us, refused to get out of their beds to come down anyway. I contacted our superiors and they assigned Derek as the lead. Alexander is keeping his mouth shut, and we don’t have much time to get information. We found wolfsbane land markers around the reservation.”

Stiles cringed. Land markers were common tools among hunters in group assaults. Not only did they help them get into proper position, but when lit on fire, they prevented young, old, or sick wolves from crossing the barrier.

If they were there, a larger attack was soon to happen. Stiles looked back at Alexander and Derek, and his insides twisted.

The Alpha’s eyes were dark, almost black. They weren’t lifeless, Stiles doubted he was capable of that, but they were withdrawn. Professional in a disturbing way.

But he wouldn’t look at Stiles, and seeing as he was already angry, that little thing set him off. He walked over the man, pushing his shoulder and stepping in front of him.

“Do you normally do things like this?” He asked, feeling oddly insulted. This was a Derek Stiles didn’t know, and that bothered him more than was natural.

“Go upstairs Stiles, now.”

“No, fuck you. I took this shithead down, I deserve to be here.” Stiles really did hiss that out, eyes fiery and full of challenge.

Derek met his eyes, and Stiles felt small bolts of elctricity run across his skin.

“So be it.” Derek’s words mirrored Peters and Stiles took a step back, feeling burned. Stiles knew who Derek was the whole time, he didn’t know why he felt lied to now.

Derek turned away, stepping on his foot and swinging his hips, his fist landing in Alexander’s stomach. The Beta spit out blood and Stiles gasped, stepping further back.

Derek must have been at this for a while if he was bleeding internally enough to spit up blood. Or maybe he was just really good at this type of thing. Sties was experienced enough that a scene like this didn’t screw with his mind; it was still hard to watch.

Alexander was a hunter after all, one who shot into a reservation filled with innocent people. He wouldn’t have cared if a child had been killed, he probably would have celebrated.

Stiles knew that, but it didn’t change that this bordered on barbaric. But when he thought about everything, what other choice did they have?

They either get information from the hunter fast enough to come up with a defense plan, or they wait until tomorrow, when they would probably be dead or very near it.

The police wouldn’t believe them, Stiles had seen enough and trusted Chris enough to believe that. What really bothered him, if he was being honest, is that Derek looked down right natural doing this.

And that when the Alpha wasn’t donning his FBI disguise, he probably did this very thing for far less tasteful reasons.

Stiles didn’t think Derek would hurt innocents, but he was probably like Peter. _I’ll do anything to protect my pack_.

He caught Laura’s eye from across the room. He was mildly surprised to see her, but who was he kidding. Every Hale knew what was going on, Laura was the oldest so she probably knew it the best.

She was standing next to Scott and Hange, who were hunched over a computer screen, probably trying to find any connection Alexander had to the other attacks.

Stiles let the beta’s groans and Derek’s interrogation leech from his ears, not willing to hear.Laura walked over to him, arms crossed and face impassive.

“Talk with me upstairs?”

Stiles wished he could say no, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity. He hadn’t been able to talk with Laura yet, not really. So he nodded slowly, walking up the steps with her at his back. He was relieved to be free of that setting, even if he wouldn’t admit it.

They went to the dining room, sitting down across from each other silently. They were in the Hales cabin, and he suspected Cora to be in her room so it was just them.

Deaton was probably lurking around somewhere but oh well.

“Don’t think badly of Derek.”

Stiles scoffed but Laura shook her head. “No, I’m serious. He does what he does to help everyone. I know how that sounds, trust me, but he’s the only one who can.”

“What about you? Aren’t you the oldest? Why is Derek even the heir?”

“He’s an Alpha.” Laura said, shrugging. Stiles felt his eyebrow lift, confused. Realization dawned on her face. “You don’t know.”

“Don’t know…?”

“That I’m intersexual.”

Stiles felt even more at a loss. “You smell like an Alpha.”

“It’s scent medication. I don’t like strangers knowing something so personal about me just because they can smell me. I’m an Alpha-Beta mix. Rare enough to be taboo, but common enough for there to be meds.”

Stiles nodded, surprised but things certainly made more sense now. Stiles thought stereotypes were bullshit, so that had to be why he never noticed.

Laura seemed very comfortable letting her brother take the lead, and she had never seemed overly aggressive. But she was strong and assertive, like her mother, even if the Alpha presence was missing.

“So you’re saying Derek has more responsibility so that makes this okay?” Stiles asked.

“No, I’m saying that Derek thinks of this _as_ his responsibility. We called the Sheriff, and several deputies. None of them were willing to come down, some didn’t even answer. And had we not found those land markers, we would have waited. But this entire pack could lose their lives if we do nothing. So Derek is down there doing something. I know it’s not the most pleasant of things, but if he didn’t do it, who would? Peter is unstable and Alexander is Chris’ uncle. Would you do it?”

Stiles winced at the thought. No, he accepted violence in defensive situations. Anything other than that was too much.

“I know you’re right.” Stiles sighed, because it was the truth. “Derek doesn’t look like he enjoys doing that. And I am still shocked that people could be so racist, or speciest, whatever the hell you want to call it. I just hate having to do things this way.”

“We all do, Derek too. He’s a good guy. He’s the only reason the Hales aren’t extinct by now.”

“What do you mean?”

Laura’s eyes twitched ever so slightly, and Stiles knew she had said too much. He kept his face open, hoping she gave him something.

“He’s the known but unknown heir of the Hales. The public doesn’t see much of him because of his job, but every were has heard his name. A symbol of strength, if you will.” She swished her hand in a circular motion.

Nice cover. The words were true but Stiles knew there was more to it. The Hales probably threatened other packs to keep their secret. He would have to find out.

“Why are you telling me this? What does it matter what I think of Derek?” That was the real question. Laura sighed, resting her chin on her palm.

“You like each other. Ah,” she interrupted Stiles’ interjection. “You know it’s true. I don’t care if it’s biology or what but you are both into each other. And yes I know this isn’t the most appropriate situation to be getting it on. But still, one day this case will be over and I wouldn’t mind seeing you around more. Derek deserves someone good. I’m not saying that someone is you, no pressure, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing. Actually, I think it could be a lot of fun. So, I just didn’t want you to get the wrong idea about him but I can see that you need more convincing. Just…reserve judgment until you know him better. Until you know all of us better.”

After her mini speech, which left Stiles unable to speak, Laura scooted her chair back and left him alone in the dining room.

Stiles had long known about his attraction to Derek. Hell, Derek full on came out with the ‘I want to fuck you’ confession.

But liking him? Liking each other? There was no way. Just because Stiles got more than a little wet around the guy and felt that weird pulling sensation didn’t mean they were actually compatible in the relationship sense.

Considering what Stiles just saw, that was a good thing. And it needed to remain that way. He rested his elbows on the table, cradling his face in his hands.

Damn, he needed to get some sleep. But with a hunter attack just on the horizon, that didn’t seem like the best idea.

“Stiles, he talked.” Chris said, walking in, just as worn out. “He’s out of his goddamn mind though. They sent him to place the land markers and get out of there. He saw you walking his way and started shooting, sending a signal out to the group. They won’t be coming now that we know about their plan.”

Stiles fell back against his chair, tension running from his body through the chair and into the floor.

 But it made sense, hunters may have guns but several wolfsbane bullets in vital organs were required to take down a healthy werewolf. If they lost their ambush advantage, they wouldn’t risk an attack.

“It was good I needed a late night walk then,” he laughed to himself and Chris nodded, chuckling softly. “What else?”

“Well, whoever he is with was smart enough to send him. He was always pretty crazy when I was young, but now he’s senile. All he knows is Gerald is a part of it. But otherwise, he kept calling me a traitor and what not. To be honest, they might not even be connected to Clegane. My dad preferred working with a small group.  Either way, he needs to be checked into an institution, we need to call in more reinforcements, and get some sleep. You especially. We may not have gotten much from this, but tomorrow is going to be important.”

“Right. I, uh, I’ll stay with you guys?” Stiles didn’t exactly want to see Derek right now. Chris merely nodded, obviously wanting to get the hell away from his uncle.

Stiles was frustrated that the interrogation had only led to more questions. Whatever the hell was going on, it was a lot more complicated than he had originally thought.

Every time they were given the slighted bit of a clue, it would only give them an inch. Which meant they were riding on whatever happened tomorrow. Stiles just hoped the police actually had some useful evidence.

Otherwise, they were fucked.  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think?! Peter is still a shitty guy, but is getting more understandable. Laura sees all, and Stiles doesn't know what to think about Derek!   
> How do you all feel about him? 
> 
> Things are going to get steadily more crazy as we go forward, but I have lots of tricks up my sleeve so look forward to that! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and are having a great weekend. 
> 
> See you next time! <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Racial slurs and behavior in regards to Native Americans 
> 
> I got a real treat for you guys! Here is an extra long chapter! I've gotta run to a movie now but I hope you all love it!
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 11

* * *

 

 

Sleep came to Stiles easier than he would have thought, and he credited his exhaustion. While he certainly looked better than he did last night, his eyes were tight around the corners: strained.

The Omega didn’t want to think about Derek, what he did, or what it meant. But it was a sunken ship in his mind, unmovable and impossible to ignore.

The best he could do was push it away the best he could and think of other things. Like whether he should tell Chris about Peter or not.

He still didn’t know. Stiles was a very honest person, and he truly believed that transparency was the best way to go.

But what would come out of telling Chris? Did he really not know? Stiles doubted it, the man was in the FBI, he must have tracked down the kids’ names. He could at least ask him.

But that would have to come later. Right now, Stiles needed to be fully focused on his meeting with the sheriff. He looked ready, at least

He wore his trusty green button down with a black bow tie and black pants. The sleep had done wonders for the bags under his eyes, and his body was relaxed.

Stiles walked downstairs to see Hange and Chris standing by the door, ready to go.

“Toast,” Hange said, offering him a buttered covered slice while she had another hanging from her mouth.

“Thank you,” Stiles took the bread, chomping down into it but unable to really taste anything. He must be more nervous than he thought.

The three remained silent for most of the car ride, Chris giving him tips ever so often.

“Keep eye contact.”

“Sit with your back straight.”

“Don’t be a smart ass, even if you want to.”

“Get the information, and get out.”

Stiles had given himself the same advice that morning but it helped get him in the right head space. Eventually, they drove up to the police department, got out of the car, and walked inside.  

It was much smaller compared to the one in Beacon Hills, and the officers looked much more relaxed. Small towns didn’t see much crime after all, especially ones so far north.

Stiles was escorted to Sheriff Larson’s office at the back of the building. The man himself was reading a newspaper with a large cup of coffee in hand.

He grinned the second he saw Stiles and the Omega tried to match the expression. Knowing what he did about the man, made the attempt feel forced and disgusting.

“I just got off the phone with your dad.” Larson said and Stiles was genuinely surprised. He had talked to his dad the night before, but it was brief and only meant to tell him he was safe.

“He’s real proud of you, wanted me to help you any way I could.” Stiles smiled broadly in response.

John Stilinksi was a gem.

“My dad is a great man. Thank you for treating him well.” At least that wasn’t a lie.

“Hell, I should say the same thing. Now, I know you’re busy up there with those redskins. What can I do for you?”

Stiles felt metal on his tongue from the blatant racism but he held back and took a deep breath, urging himself to put this in the right words.

“The attack that happened earlier this month. I’m sure you did a thorough sweep of the property. If you are at all able, I would highly appreciate it if you could let me and my colleagues look through the evidence. We aren’t able to make any headway with what little we have now. I’m also aware that Agent Argent called you to report a second attack with a lone gunman. He is within FBI custody now but I wanted to let you know.”

That was the best Stiles could do, respectful, validating, but straight forward. Larson leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee with a thoughtful expression.

“You know, I was pretty happy when those pigs were taken out.”

Stiles felt bile rise in his throat, horrified at the man’s comment. He bit into his tongue, desperately trying to keep his mouth shut.

“What do you think? About all this wereanimal bullshit?” Larson asked, eyes casual but scrutinizing. Stiles needed to be very cautious now.

“Honestly sir, I haven’t been around them much to say….I’m new to law enforcement, and this is the biggest case I’ve gotten. If I don’t manage to get any leads, I’m screwed. I need to get this right, show my boss that I’m valuable and hard working. I can’t do that without access to the evidence. Regardless of what you think about the weres, I could really use your help.”

Stiles hated himself. He knew that bursting out in protest, and telling this prick off wouldn’t do any good, even if it would make him feel better.

What would help, was information. But the shame that swelled inside of him was enough to last a lifetime.

Larson nodded, lips twisting up in understanding. He took another sip of coffee, putting the mug down at the same time that he stood up.

“Being John’s kid is nice an all, but it’s good to know you’ve got a smart head on your shoulders. I’ll show you what I can, but hear me out now, it’s not a lot.”

The breath that had been stuck inside Stiles’ lungs was expelled in one second, leaving him tired but relieved. One step closer.

“Thank you sir, I am grateful.” With that, Stiles followed Larson outside, where they walked further across the back hall with bad lighting and into another room.

It was full of dusty shelves and even dustier boxes. Stiles imagined the years of backed up evidence that was sitting in each of them, case files that had gone unsolved and people’s lives that had yet to be investigated.

They walked to the very back where tons of files sat haphazardly on a desk. Larson picked up one that was thrown to the side, opening it up and handing it to Stiles.

The Omega stared at the inside, not knowing what to find. Like the sheriff had said, there wasn’t much. Casings from run of the mill wolfsbane bullets, with a poorly written report of the incident.

However, tucked into the bend of the folder sat a sealed tube, filled with two intact hairs. Stiles’ eyes sparkled and he closed the folder. He wanted to fist pump his excitement, but the acting wasn’t over yet.

“I can see it’s not a lot, but truly, thank you. We might not be able to do much, but knowing that might bring some closure.”

Stiles was playing as naïve as he possibly could. Larson knew how valuable those hairs were, and had purposefully kept them in this dusty room, un-tested.

That was a huge red flag in Stiles’ mind, and he didn’t need much to convince him that this police department was corrupt.

Still, Stiles couldn’t act like he had anything over them.

“I’ll take this back to my team.” Stiles said, following Ben back outside.

“Those hairs probably belong to one of those fuckers, so don’t get your hopes up. You just promise me that sack of shit Hale won’t get a hold of that. You and me, we are on the same side. He ain’t.”

Larson gave him a very serious look, nodding to him before turning away and walking back to his office.

Stiles felt his bones chill. What-

His thoughts were cut off by the vibration of his phone in his back pocket. He fished the thing out, it was Chris. He answered it and brought it up to his ear.  

“He-“

“There was an attack in Beacon Hills. Derek and the others left. Every werewolf pack has gone into lock down. The Claws are asking us to leave.”

“I’m coming.” Stiles was already walking when he hung up. What in the hell was happening? Stiles thought his mind was whirling yesterday, that was nothing.

“We got a DNA hair sample, that’s all.” Stile said, running up to Hange and Chris. All three of them were already moving toward the car.

“I’ll run it to the lab the second we get back.” Hange said, jumping into the van and opening her bag so Stiles could give her the sample.

“Uh, I’m gonna keep it for now.” Stiles didn’t know how to sound right saying that, not wanting Hange to feel like he was suspecting her.

But if Larson didn’t want it in Derek’s hands, then he didn’t want it in anyone else’s. He didn’t have a good feeling about whoever these hairs belonged to.

The Beta merely nodded, buckling herself in and sighing against the back seat. Everyone was feeling the stress.

“The team is packing up our gear and will meet us at the airport.” Chris sounded extremely tense.

“Do you have any idea what’s going on? How did this happen so quickly?”

“It happened maybe an hour ago, and considering it took them that long to reach out, it must have been bad. The real problem is that they targeted the Hales. It has to be the hunting group we’ve been trying to locate.”

“Why would they stage another attack so soon? And on the Hales?” Hange asked, eyes narrowed in thought.

“This whole thing was a distraction. They wanted Derek and Peter gone, not to mention the main FBI unit. And they picked a place they knew had a bigoted police force. My heat probably gave them even more time.”

Stiles rubbed at his eyes, frustrated. They were never meant to get anything here, that was the whole point.

But he couldn’t blame anyone for not seeing through that. Attacking the Hales in their home town, where the main family was, was not something anyone could have expected.

“They must be more powerful than we thought, if they have this type of confidence. Do we have any information on the damage? Deaths?”

“No. The call was short, but we need to get there as soon as possible. The Hales must have gotten word right when it happened. Billings Airport is an hour away, they are probably already gone.”

“What about Alexander?” If he was on the loose, that was another problem.

“They took him.” Was all Chris said and Stiles felt a bit of relief. Better to be with the Hales than aything else he supposed.

Stiles slipped the hair sample into his backpack, right next to his sunflower bow tie. If anyone could keep that thing safe, it was his mom.

In all the years that Stiles had been alive, no one dared to attack the Hales head on like that, not in the public eye.

Stiles didn’t know what this meant, or who was doing it, but he was being dragged further and further down the rabbit hole.

One that he didn’t know if he would get out of.

~ ~ ~

“How long is it going to take?” Stiles was in a lab for forensic analysis, his eyes weary and body tired. It had been a long day.

“We will rush it but it’s still going to take a little more than a day. Come back tomorrow night, maybe 11? I’ll do what I can, okay?”

The female in front of him was as sympathetic as she could be. As it was, very few people were still at work.

It was getting late and after the attack, most people headed home. Thankfully or not, only businesses ran by the Hales were targeted, but everyone was on alert.

Some were merely vandalized, others had been shot up, including Erica’s boutique, the auto shop Boyd worked at, and even the high school.

The death toll was still being tallied, but he already knew that several had been killed, both human and wolf.

Stiles had rented his own car at the airport, speeding his way down to the lab without so much of a look back at Chris, Hange, or the others.

The female in front of him was frazzled and nervous, much like everyone else. Stiles had met her minutes before, and while he didn’t trust anyone at this point, he didn’t have much of a choice.

He had called his dad on the way over, and other than the attack being splashed on every news outlet there was, John didn’t know much either.

The sheriff did want him home though, and having to tell him no was difficult. Stiles couldn’t just leave yet. His job in Montana had been genuinely given, but ultimately, was for no real reason.

He let his anger wash over him as he headed back out to the car. Stiles had only one place he really wanted to go to now, but he didn’t know if it was a good or bad idea anymore.

Passing through the town was eerie, with smoke billowing from random places and no one in sight. Stiles kept his eyes focused straightforward, apathy rotting his insides because he didn’t know if he couldn’t handle emotions right now.

He parked the car by the side of the road where the dirt path started. Stiles’ memory of the woods around here was shaky, but he remembered that path, and the car was not meant for off-roading.

The Omega started hiking his way to the Hale house, but he didn’t get very far. The second he passed into their territory, two large shifted Betas were coming at him.

Stiles put his hands up, having expected this.

“FBI. I just need to talk to Talia and Derek.” He hoped using their first names would help. But after what just happened, Stiles didn’t blame them for ignoring him, and attacking.

One bit into his leg, and he was dragged down, his ribs and the wound on his shoulder stinging.

“DEREK. LAURA. SCOTT.” He yelled to anyone who might care that he was about to be mauled. Stiles didn’t fight back like he desperately wanted to. He was pretty sure that would only make things worse.

So he flipped on his belly, throwing his arms over his face, and tilting his neck slightly. The wolves could smell he was an Omega, but one of them shoved their muzzle into his neck anyway.

The breath was hot, and the teeth were inches away from tearing his throat out. Stiles hated having to use his sex to calm situations down. But this was particularly needed.

He was appealing to everything he knew would settle the wolves’ tensions, trying to make them not kill him.

The lifted their heads and howled, the sound bouncing off the tree trunks. Another, far louder howl came back.

Stiles waited on his back, trying to be the picture of prey and diplomacy. He was sure he looked ridiculous.

It didn’t take long for another muzzle to be pressed into his neck. The difference was, this one bit down. Stiles cried out, his nostrils flaring and immediately catching onto Derek’s scent.

His eyes popped open and none other than the broody Alpha himself was latched onto him.

“Derek what the fuck?!” Stiles yelled, fiercely ignoring the gush of slick that came out of his hole. His face burned though, knowing everyone in the vicinity could smell it.

But hey, give him a break. The Alpha grabbed the back of his shirt and physically lifted him up like a daggling cub.

He was dropped back down on his feet and Stiles immediately whirled on him, his mouth open and ready to tell the wolf off.

It was late afternoon but there was enough glow in the sky for Stiles to make out Derek’s Alpha form much easier.

He looked like a true hybrid between human and wolf. The shoulders on him spanned the width of nearly three of Stiles’. Derek’s muscles were packed on, just like a human’s would, but with unnatural bulk and strength.

His fur was thickly coated, sticking out like needles but Stiles had a feeling it would be disgustingly soft. The scent rolling off of him was headier in the form, pulsing form his body and making Stiles dizzy.

Derek took a step toward him and he shook himself. The Omega stepped back, pushing a finger into the Alpha’s chest, shuddering at the feeling.

“Woah now. I’m not done. Why the hell did you bite me?” Stiles was huffing, overwhelmed by everything in his life right now and Derek was tipping him over the edge.

Derek growled, not aggressively but the Alpha was clearly not happy.

“I am _bleeding_ because of you, you barking gorilla!” Stiles crossed his arms, raised an eyebrow, and waited. He even tapped his foot, all while blood trickled down his neck. Derek was lucky it was a shallow bite.

He was very aware of how stupid this probably looked. Derek could step on him for fucks sake. Stiles also knew Derek couldn’t actually speak, and if he could, he didn’t want to hear it. That would be terrifying.

But his cap had flown off; he was pissed wet, and surrounded by a bunch of mourning werewolves.

The Alpha was apparently having none of it, lumbering his body over, hunkering down to grab Stiles by the waist, and throwing him over his shoulder.

Stiles yelped, landing in the downy fur of Derek’s back which moved in a disturbingly erotic way when he walked.

“Derek! What the fuck, put me down!” Stiles didn’t bother with the whole ‘beat on the back’ thing, you just didn’t bother with werewolves that way.

But his eyes latched onto the fluffy swishing tail, and Stiles reached for it, grabbing the base and pulling hard enough to sting.

The Alpha’s back jerked and a warning growl was thrown at Stiles, who continued to tug on the damn thing like it was responsible for every bad thing that had ever happened in his life.

Stiles saw Derek’s elbow bend, his arm lifting up and Stiles almost barked out with laugher. What? Was the big scary Alpha going to spank him? Stiles was beyond rationally at this point but it was plausible.

Derek didn’t hit him though, no. The he-wolf put a huge paw on Stiles’ ass, and squeezed, hard. It wasn’t nearly enough to injure him or even bruise him, but it sure did drive Derek’s point home. _Shut up_.

Stiles bit his lip, burying his face in Derek’s fur. The pain was far too on the side of pleasure and it had more slick leaking out of him. And his ass was right next to the wolf’s face.

Derek’s hand only got tighter and Stiles had to hold back a moan. They were still walking, the other wolves following behind them.

Derek, on the other hand, let the scent get to his head because the paw on his butt started moving. The Alpha was _petting his ass_. It was more of a deep rub, but Stiles didn’t care what you would call it.

It went against all of their boundaries and they had an audience. Good lord, did it feel good though. It worked too, Stiles was too close to letting out shameless whimpers so he kept his mouth zipped up and pressed against Derek’s stupid furry hide.

Oddly enough, Stiles was clinging to the sexual tension, because otherwise all that was left in the air was grief.

They’d lost several pack members today, and from what Derek had said, they would all be feeling the loss. If groping Stiles’ ass made Derek feel better, the Omega didn’t think it was such a bad thing, even if he was still mad.

Howls started sounding off from all around, but Stiles couldn’t look up. He was afraid to see the same scene from back in Montana, people holding each other and crying.

Stiles knew it wasn’t his fault, but he’d been a part of how the plan had happened. He had to take some responsibility in that.

He didn’t have long to agonize any longer, because Derek was shifting, while still carrying Stiles. The Omega grabbed onto Derek’s hips, freaking out as fur became skin and bones shifted right underneath him.

The whole time it was happening, Derek’s hand never left Stiles’ behind. Of course, the larger problem was that Derek was now naked, carrying Stiles over his back and stalking into the house.

Stiles couldn’t be blamed, he gawked at the toned ass of the Alpha and the powerful thighs as they carried him up the stairs.

Going from hot and bothered, to depressed and back was starting to get to him. Derek paid no mind to his nudity, though considering they were werewolves, that was probably very normal.

Stiles recognized the hallway they walked down, and a few seconds later, Derek grabbed his hips and flipped him off the Alpha’s shoulders.

Stiles grunted upon impact, his bones feeling like wonderful jelly the second they sank into the mattress. The one he’d slept on. With Derek. Who was standing in front of him. Naked.

Stiles kept his eyes up on the ceiling, resisting a temptation that would cripple Zeus himself.

“Why the fuck are you here?” Oh, not happy. Not a happy Derek at all. While Stiles could stop himself from oogling a nude Derek, his sass wouldn’t let the man get away with talking like that. Oh, and he’d bit him.

So he shot up, looking directly in Derek’s eyes even if his lower peripherals caught onto every inch going on down below. _Sweet Jesus_.

“What do you mean what am I doing here?

Derek just looked at him like he was stupid and Stiles wasn’t having that.

“Beacon Hills was targeted asshole, where was I supposed to go?” The Omega pushed himself up on his knees so he didn’t feel so open.

“Home. The werewolf unit of the FBI is taking the case over. You should have been notified by now, and if you hadn’t, the last place you should have shown up in our compound. They could have killed you.”

Stiles felt indignant at that. No one had told him anything, not that he stuck around the airport long enough for Chris to hear anything either.

“You took Alexander, and just left. Going home isn’t an option. This is the first I’m hearing of being dismissed, but you can’t blame me for wanting to know what the hell happened.”

“Five of our pack was killed Stiles, and four humans. That’s what happened.” There was a twinge in Derek’s eye, and Stiles could see the pain he felt.

Stiles lowered back down, sighing deeply. Why did he even come here? He had felt so angry at the whole situation, but there wasn’t a thing he could do.

If he was dismissed, which would make sense, his job ended here. Investigating the Hales didn’t come before the safety of innocent people.

Derek saw the resignation in Stiles and muttered out his own frustrations, rubbing his face. The Alpha looked up, a weird expression coming over his face before he started walking towards the bed.

“Woah woah woah,” Stiles said, falling back onto his elbows at the man’s sudden movement.

“You’re bleeding.”

Stiles’ hand flew to his neck where blood was still slowly leaking out. How did he forget that? At least his other wounds were doing ok.

“Oh, right. Now that you mention it. Why the fuck did you bite me?” He asked, raising his voice again.

“Werewolves don’t talk. It was the fastest way to make the pack understand you weren’t an enemy. They aren’t exactly thinking straight right now.”

Stiles deflated at that. That was it? Derek was looking out for him. Well wasn’t that just…stupid.

“Could have bitten my shoulder,” the Omega muttered. Biting the neck was intimate, something mates did.

Derek put a knee on the mattress, lifting him up and over. And Stiles looked, he had to. There was a very good reason “Alpha cock” was one of the most popular searches on PornHub.

Whether male or female, Alphas were huge. And Derek was semi-hard. Stiles eyed the foreskin that was peeling back over a bulbous head.

It curved down into a thick and veiny shaft. At this angle, Stiles could see the trimmed but thick black hair that surrounded Derek’s heavy sack.

The Omega was already panting, his legs parting involuntarily so Derek could crawl between them.

“We-We have rules. Boundaries.” Stiles said, chest rising and falling as his blood rerouted itself.

“You’re wet.” Derek said, voice low and eyes intent.

“You’re hard.”

“Because you’re wet.” The wolf pushed his thighs under Stiles’ legs, so that they hooked over the curve below Derek’s hips.

But more than that, the position made his cock press right up against Stiles’ taint. That was the breaking point.

Stiles arched back, the tension refusing to break completely but cracking under the pressure. More slick gushed out of him and he bit his lip hard.

Derek took the invitation, pressing forward so that his shoulders bunched up and his face was in Stiles’ neck.

And then he licked him. Everything inside of Stiles that he had been holding back released in one second.

Derek’s arms slid up Stiles’ body, caressing over his ribs and nipples, riding over his arms and grasping his wrists to bring them up over his head.

The Alpha held them down with one hand, the other going back down to touch every part of Stiles’ body that wasn’t stuck under Derek’s own.

The whole time, Derek was lathing his tongue over the bite, healing the wound while creating new marks.

Stiles had let go of all reality and was spewing out whines and whimpers, shivering at the attention and bucking his hips against the now very hard Alpha cock.

“N-no,” he whispered, not meaning it at all but fighting to get back in control. Derek’s body froze all the same.

He slowly lifted his body up, pushing Stiles’ wrists even harder into the mattress. The man’s eyes were shot to hell with lust, the iris hinting at red.

“Say that again, and I’ll stop. Say yes, and I’ll finish this.”

Here it was, the choice.

“We..shouldn’t.” For every reason under the sun and every star in the fucking galaxy.

“I know. I don’t care.” Derek was dead serious, his dick twitching against Stiles even if the body attached to it was completely still, demonstrating a control that made Stiles all the more aroused.

This man was intimidating, from the rigid strength, to the deadly stare in his eyes. But right now, even if he was shaking from the sheer amount of pent up emotion in his body, Stiles wasn’t afraid.

He believed Derek. Even while he knew that the Alpha was only doing this to cope with the searing grief that had to be rolling through him, his desire for Stiles was very real.

And Stiles was so incredibly tired of pretending he didn’t want exactly this. So he swallowed, closing his eyes and relaxing into Derek’s grasp.

“Yes.”

Derek’s hand released his, sliding down to grip the sides of his shirt, ripping them open and literally shredding it from Stiles’ body.

His bow tie went flying and it wasn’t long before his under shirt was off as well. Stiles could barley catch his breath before his pants and underwear were being insistently pulled off.

Derek’s movements were fast and determined, his eyes wracking over every inch of Stiles’ body that he uncovered.

And this was where Stiles’ embarrassment took hold. He wasn’t innocent, at least, he wouldn’t’ describe himself as such.

He had various sexual experiences, so he knew what he liked and what didn’t work for him. But as Derek grabbed and separated Stiles’ legs, he felt a huge flush of nerves.

His hands flew down, covering his hard and leaking dick but most importantly, his hole. It was already red, puffy with slick starting to drench the sheets below him.

Derek’s eyes flicked up to his, lust burning at the edges but curious.

“I’m a virgin.” Stiles blurted out, his whole body blushing red. He had never in life felt shame about it before, some people waited, simple.

Derek’s irises flashed red, an internal growl rumbling from his chest as he spread Stiles’ legs ever farther, making the Omega squeak.

“Why?”

It was an odd question, one that Stiles had asked himself before. It wasn’t like he believed in abstinence or in the idea of purity.

“I…I just never met someone I wanted that with.” He heard the implication in his own words. That meant Derek was that someone, and the Alpha very clearly understood the meaning.

He didn’t say anymore, instead deciding to bring one of Stiles’ leg to his face, turning so he could bite into the flesh, kissing the irritated skin right after.

One had drifted upward, toying with Stiles’ nipple before grabbing the peak and pinching. Stiles nearly bucked off the bed.

Derek left the Omega’s leg dangle on his shoulder so his hand could drift down, fingers dipping under Stiles’ palms.

Derek’s thumb rubbed circles into Stiles’ taint, pressing up just hard enough for Stiles to let out another gush of slick and his legs seize with tension.

The wolf kept this up, using his hands to make Stiles relax, who in turn closed his eyes and let himself focus on the sensation.

It wasn’t long before Stiles’ hands loosened up enough for Derek’s thumb to dip lower. Now, Omega’s were like anyone else in that they had several erogenous zones on their body, their genitalia being one of the most sensitive.

But Stiles was convinced nothing felt better than attention to his hole. And Derek was completely focused on that part of him.

The large pad of Derek’s thumb dropped into the small dip, pushing inside just enough to tease. Stiles’ hands flew from his cock to the sheets next to him, balling the fabric up and cranking his head back while he moaned.

The whole time Derek dipped more and more of his finger inside, thrusting shallowly, his other hand continued their ministrations all over his chest.

Stiles was losing hold of his mind, which wasn’t saying much considering he had went this far. The Alpha was worshiping his body, opening him up with firm but gentle pressure.

Derek eventually pulled him thumb from him, replacing it with two of his fingers. Stiles was panting fast and shallow breaths, small whines coming out at the end of each of exhale.

But when Derek’s fingers crooked up, directly targeting the small bundle of nerves inside of him, he _keened_.

His cock bobbed hard against his stomach, so close to releasing that it hurt. It would only take a few more measured thrusts form Derek, and that would be it.

Stiles was ready and willing for that to happen. Except it never came. Instead, a blaring ringtone broke through his haze of arousal.

He opened his eyes, shocked to see Derek still between his legs, eyes red and fangs out. The man looked feral, pupils darting to the offending sound next to the bed.

He dropped Stiles’ leg to the side, pulling his finger out of him and crawling toward the night table. This brought Stiles face to face with the Alpha’s chest and he let himself enjoy the full view.

“What?” Derek answered the phone, voice sounding hoarse but lethal. Sexually pent-up Derek was an angry Derek.

Stiles couldn’t hear what was on the other line, but most of his blood was in his lower body, and he was still desperate to come.

If it wasn’t for the promise of more fingering in his future, he would finish it himself. Of course, it was this distraction that led him to ignoring the open and closing of the bedside table drawer.

The needle sank into his neck with quick efficiency; Stiles didn’t even have to time to blink. The liquid swarmed his blood stream and Stiles cried out with shock and pain.

His gaze darted to Derek’s, fear, betrayal, and anger swirling in his golden eyes. The Alpha looked like he was on the edge of breaking.

His mouth was drawn in tight, eyes in pain but resolve deeply settled in his expression.

“’I’m sorry. Plans have changed.”

Stiles jerked his body, in a desperate show of protest. Derek squeezed his eyes shut tightly and Stiles’ world started to blur.

“You are safe Stiles. I know you won’t believe me, but you will always be safe with me.”

Derek’s words fogged together, and Stiles’ eyes watered with a pain he had never felt before. The searing burn of regret and deception were the last things he remembered before the sedative took hold, and he was gone to the world.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CLIFF HANGER. It's about time, I love them. I contemplated ending it in many places but this was the only place it felt right! 
> 
> Stay tuned my lovelies! And let me know all of your feelings down below! <3


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay! I literally wrote an entire chapter and I hated it. It wasn't what wanted so I had to scrap it and start again.  
> This is my last week of summer classes so things have been a little crazy. Chester Bennington's death was also a real shock to the system. (RIP <3)
> 
> Regardless, here we are! All of your reactions to the cliffhanger made it so worthwhile, I loved it! Hopefully this chapter answers some of your questions. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 12

* * *

 

Stiles woke up in a bed made for the gods, and angrier than he’d ever been in his entire life. He had literally clawed his way to consciousness, his rage fueling him even through his sedative-induced dreams.

The bed he was on had to be that microfiber shit because it felt like the mattress actually cared about him. The sheets were like silk against his skin and had this been any other situation, he would have cuddled into the warmth and drifted back to sleep.

As it was, Stiles literally felt like his body was ripping apart from the sheer anger swirling through him. After everything that happened, and having done his best at keeping cool, he snapped.

His eyes flipped open, his chest shooting up with more energy than he had in a while. He scanned the room, finding it empty and surprisingly plain. Stiles took a slow breath, calming down.  

He had been prepared to fight his way out if he had to, but his mind was trying to reason with him. Stiles had no clue where he was, who he was with, and what they planned on doing with him.

If he was ever going to live down the Derek catastrophe, he needed to pull his head out of his ass and start using his brain.

So Stiles took another deep breath, and slid his legs off the bed. The cling of chains surprised him, and the pull on his ankle made him look down.

A single cuff was settled over his foot, loose enough not to hurt but Stiles could break his bone and still not get out.

Every thought he had about being calm and thinking through things went out the window. He was cuffed to a goddamn bed.

So Stiles did the only thing he could realistically do, he screamed. It was a sound that came deep form his belly, twisting inside his vocal cords so it came out like a pure, anger filled release.

And the devil himself ran inside. Derek wore training pants with no shirt and sweat tracking down his muscles.

The Stiles from before would have stared in aroused silence. But this Stiles, while still very turned on, felt his blood boil and his eyes flash.

“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” He yelled, grabbing a pillow from behind him and chucking it at the Alpha. Derek caught it easily but he didn’t expect for Stiles to throw himself off the bed and charge him head on.

Stiles stepped forward, turning his hip and driving all of his power into his fist. It collided with Derek’s jaw in a vengeful arc.

Not for lack of effort, but that was the first and last hit Stiles got in. Because Derek growled like a demon and slammed himself into Stiles.

The tumbled onto the bed and in seconds, Derek had Stiles on his stomach, arms pinned behind his back and legs pressed tightly together.

“GET OFF OF ME ASSHOLE!” Stiles voice was hoarse with desperation, but mostly hurt. He didn’t know why, the entire time Stiles knew Derek wasn’t who he acted to be.

He had spent a ridiculous amount of time telling himself that. So why did he feel so gutted? Stiles’ eyes watered as his bones started to ache from the stretch.

“You’re hurting me Derek, let go!” It was a watery cry, one that sounded as betrayed as he felt. The Alpha whipped Stiles over onto his back, lifting his arms above his head and resting his lower body on Stiles’ thighs.

The man’s eyes were red, but his expression looked almost as bad as Stiles’. The softness in his gaze only made the Omega feel worse, and he couldn’t hold back any longer.

A high-pitched sob made its way out of his mouth. He quickly cut it off but the tears were already streaming down his face.

“I hate you!” He screamed, wiggling uselessly. Derek’s face twisted up in pain which made Stiles hiss.

“Stiles-“

“NO! No, you don’t get to talk. You took advantage of me! And I was going to let you! Too bad you didn’t get to seal the deal before you got orders to sink a needle into my fucking neck! So shut up and leave me alone!”

Stiles let out another sob as he finished, turning his head so his eyes were hidden by his arm.

“Just leave.” He whimpered, shaking.

Derek did the only nice thing the man was probably capable of: getting off of him and walking out the door.

Stiles curled in on himself, bringing his red-rimmed wrists to his chest and letting his emotions go. He wailed, letting all the stress and pressure from the past few days bleed out of him.

He stayed like that, eyes closed and chest aching. No one else came in, and he eventually fell asleep.

~ ~ ~

 

The next time Stiles awoke, he was a new person. After the release of emotions, he felt more focused and prepared than he ever had.

Though by the looks of it, he had very little to react to. A small tray table had been placed by his bed, a metal lid covering a plate with a pitcher of water sitting close by.

The chain was still on his ankle; he was being effectively held hostage. Stiles looked around, scanning the room.

It was cozy in a very simple way. The floors were polished, the walls a dark green color. There were no decorations, and the furniture consisted of only the bed, a dresser, and a desk.

Everything was in good condition, if a little old. Other than there being no windows, and the situation of it all, Stiles would feel safe here.

As it was, he was alone, and still very fucking mad. But for now, he’d eat. He had little hope of making good decisions if he was weak.

They’d given him steak and rice, which made him moan in happiness. He savored every bite, not knowing if the Hales would bother to keep feeding him.

After that, Stiles waited. For hours. No one came, and the room had to be soundproof because he could hear nothing other than his own breathing. At least the chain was long enough for him to reach the bathroom, even the shower.

He took time to think. Derek didn’t look happy about what had happened either, but he had a mind to never believe a thing the Alpha said anymore.

From what he had gathered, the Hales had to know more about the hunters than they led on. And they had to know Stiles was sent to investigate them, why else would they order Derek to do what he did?

But all in all, there was no clear evidence. There never was when the Hales were involved, that’s how they had stayed under the radar for so long.

When someone finally came in, it wasn’t at all who he’d expected. Instead, Scott shuffled in looking like a guilty puppy.

Stiles stayed stone faced in his bed, covers pulled over him in an attempt to feel more secure. Scott wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“I don’t-uh…I’m sorry.” The Alpha spoked, rubbing his neck.

“Why am I here Scott?” Stiles asked, voice colder than he’d heard it in a long time.

“I can’t tell you.”

“You realize how this looks?”

Scott looked at him, pleading. For what, Stiles didn’t know, but it was irritating nonetheless. If anyone should be showing that expression, it was him.

“Stiles, you’ve done nothing but trust us.” _Wooooooooah, what_? “And I know this whole thing is screwed up, but I really can’t tell you…”

Stiles was now utterly confused. So they hadn’t found out he was investigating them? Hell, they still thought Stiles was on their side.

Then why abduct him?

“What could you possibly hope to gain from taking me? My dad doesn’t have any money, I-“

“No no,” Scott raised him hands, shaking his head. “That’s not…we’re not…shit.” He shook his head.

“Scott if you can’t tell me anything, why the fuck are you here?” Stiles asked, voice raising a hint.

“Because Derek asked me to. And it’s not like I feel great about this either. You just tried to help us and all this shit happens.”

“Derek can go fuck himself. And what shit? You can’t leave me trapped in this room without any explanation. My dad’s probably freaking out by now.” Stiles hissed.

Scott sighed, looking stricken. “More attacks, more death. Just..everything. And don’t worry about your dad, he’s safe. I…have to go. Just, don’t hate Derek okay? He didn’t want to do this either.”

“He’s the one who sedated me. He made his choice. I can, and will, feel however I want to about it. So go, you can’t tell me anything and you’re not going to cheer me up.”

Stiles knew he was being harsh, but he had every right to be. More attacks were happening; he wasn’t surprised.

But he was pissed off. Instead of locked up in this room in a house god knows where, he should be out in the field doing something about this.

Scott left without another word, and Stiles didn’t even bother watching him go. All of this was a mess, and it didn’t look like he’d get answers easily.

Story of his fucking life.

~ ~ ~

Stiles set out on devising a plan, something he was very good at. His chain was attached to the foot of the bed, the key had to be with someone. And he put his bets on Derek.

He was the one who had brought him here, so it wasn’t unreasonable to think he had it. Which meant he needed to lure Derek into the room and subdue him.

The plan didn’t look so hot considering Stiles had told him to stay the hell away, and the guy was 200 and some pounds of bulky muscle. Trying to attack him would be useless if he didn’t have the key.

Eventually people he’d never seen before brought him food and took away his dishes. Stiles tried talking to them but they remained silent and completely ignored him.

Stiles ran through every possible scenario in his mind. He could go crazy, and vandalize the place. But considering he didn’t know who or what was outside, that might only lead to him being sedated again.

He even thought of pretending to be in heat, calling for Derek so that the Alpha would come. But again, even if he could pull it off, he might only draw in other Alphas.

Plus, he was dealing with werewolves, there was no way he could fake a heat. The only thing in his control, was the food.

And despite what he had said before, not eating it might be his only way out. They might come and force feed him, or give him an IV drip if they really wanted him alive.

There was always the risk that they didn’t actually care if he survived, but it was one he’d have to take.

But one thing persisted in his mind, Scott had come in for seemingly no purpose. He didn’t tell Stiles anything, nor did he give him anything.

He said he came for Derek, because the Alpha asked him to. And it was true that Derek didn’t seem too happy about any of this.

Stiles still didn’t trust him, and he was still mad, but he needed to believe Derek didn’t hate him. If starving himself meant the Alpha would come, it was his only chance.

So he stopped eating the food they brought. At first, the people who cycled in and out would stare at the full plate, but left without a word.

A day passed, no lunch or dinner, and Stiles felt it. His stomach started growling insistently, and it was extremely uncomfortable.

The next day was ever harder. As each plate of food came in, his will to hold on back went down. The pain set in and Stiles really just wanted some food.

He made sure to sip the water, no point in dying, but he only allowed himself so much. After that day passed, his boredom exceeding limits it never had before, he got some results.

In the middle of the third day, the door cracked open, and soft footsteps entered. Stiles immediately sat up, and the light flicked on.

“You need to eat.” Talia said, a plate of food in hand.

“I need to know why I am here. And more importantly, I need to be let out of this room. I’m going crazy in here.”

The Alpha sighed, walking over to place the food on the tray table.

“You won’t believe me, but I actually want to tell you. Nothing good ever comes out of hiding the truth, and you’re smart enough to know that we’ve been keeping things from you. But I can’t. It isn’t up to me to tell you, nor is it right.”

 _What does that even mean?_ Stiles was already starting to get a headache.

“I’m not going to argue with you about this. Yes, I know you’re hiding something, I think the syringe in my throat tipped me off to that.”

Talia’s eyes flickered with sadness at that but her gaze never left Stiles’.

“Just let me out of here. I can’t stay in this room. Isolation would drive a normal person crazy, and I’m on the hyperactive side. Even if you don’t tell me anything, just let me out of this room.”

Stiles knew better than to ask for information he wouldn’t get. Besides, he still needed to protect his real intentions.

“If you eat, I’ll see to making that happen.”

“No. This cuff comes off or I don’t eat.” He had to stand firm in this even if he thought it would encourage Talia’s anger.

But it didn’t. Instead, she smiled. “You’re just like your mother. She never let anyone tell her no.”

“You knew her?” Stiles asked, ignoring the jump in his stomach. Talia nodded, looking at the wall but her gaze was distant.

“Your dad lived in Beacon Hills his whole life, so I would see him around ever so often. When he became a police officer, I got to know him better. You’re mom moved into town one day, set up shop, and promptly got robbed a week after.”

“Woah, seriously? My dad never mentioned that detail.” It wasn’t something John liked talking about, so despite his curiosity, Stiles never asked.

“Mmhm. Claudia’s shop was blooming with flowers not long before it opened. It was the only genuine flower shop we had, so business was already booming.  Some poor idiot decided to break in at night, when your mother was tending to the plants. She shot him, point blank in the chest. The neighbors heard and called the cops. Your dad was working, and that’s how they met.”

“Who told you?”

“Your mom.” She looked over and smiled. “We became very good friends before she died.” Stiles was surprised by that.

“I don’t remember you. I mean, I never saw you.” He said, racking his brain.

“Oh, I was around. You were so young though, and very hyper.” She said, eyes popping wide and Stiles couldn’t help but laugh. This interaction was spinning in a very strange direction.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that before…What did you do when she died?”

Talia’s face immediately fell. “I couldn’t do anything. My husband died around the same time and it was like my whole world was crashing down around me. The pack tried being there for me as much as they could, but they had just lost their Alpha-mate and everyone was suffering. Claudia was my best friend, and she was the only person who could really help me through that. Except, she was gone.”

The Alpha’s eyes looked haunted, the sadness choking her and making the room physically colder. Stiles was just as speechless. He never knew. It explains why the Hales were nowhere to be seen at his mother’s funeral.

Though he’d spent that day collapsed on her casket, sobbing without caring who was there. He wouldn’t have remembered anyway.

“How did he die? If…you don’t mind me asking.”

“Hunters.” She said, lips twisting in pain. “They’ve been at this for a long time.”

Stiles went silent, understanding her pain even if he wasn’t in the best place to sympathize. This was the Alpha of the pack currently holding him captive after al.

“Talia,” he said, waiting for her to look at him. “What’s going on? You have to know something.”

She shook her head, eyes falling to the floor. “Something much larger than I think you realize.” She reached out, placing his sunflower bow tie on the bed beside him.

“I figured you’d want that with you.” Talia began walking back to the door, speaking as she went.

“I will make sure you get that cuff off. I won’t lie to you Stiles, even if I can’t tell you much. But,” she said, hand on the door knob and head refusing to face him. “You can’t leave this place.”

She left after that, leaving Stiles feeling more knowledgeable and yet also filled with more questions. He grabbed the bow tie from the covers, staring down at it. Claudia never spoke of Talia to him, though she wouldn’t have had a reason to.

And by the time her dementia set in, she had barley remembered her name most days. Still, he wanted to know about their life back then, and how the Hales played into all of it.

Stiles stayed like that, rubbing the fabric of the bow tie as his hunger pains grew more intense. He didn’t know how much longer he could withstand this.

Eventually, maybe two hours later, a knock sounded at the door before it was swung open.

“Was ‘leave me alone’ not enough of a deterrent?” Stiles asked as Derek walked in. He was clothed this time, but still in training gear.

“I am the only one with a key to that lock, and it’s going to stay that way. You don’t have to be happy with me but I won’t go out of my way to avoid you. You want out, you deal with my presence.”

Derek was cold, his eyes holding back some emotion while replacing it with apathy. It made a nasty sting burn up in Stiles’ chest but he ignored it, clinging to his anger.

“So what’s the deal, you letting me out of here?”

“You’re free to do whatever you want. This house is for my exclusive use, but I will rarely be here. There is food in the fridge, running water, and I have plenty of DVDs. You want to go outside? Fine, I won’t stop you.”

Stiles narrowed his eyes at that. They were going to chain him to a bed, only to let him go completely free? He had at least thought they’d keep him on house arrest via guards. This rubbed him the wrong way.

Derek stalked over, putting his arm out. Stiles glared at him before pushing his foot out from under the covers.

The Alpha gripped his ankle, his skin hot and Stiles immediately tensed. Derek looked up, his eyes not bothering to hide the knowledge that he affected Stiles.

He stuck the key into the padlock, opening it and sliding it out of the cuff’s hole. The metal ring fell off of him and Stiles jerked his foot back, rubbing the area.

To his surprise, Derek began to leave.

“Eat.” Was all he said before walking out the door. And eat Stiles did. His stomach was a little sensitive so he couldn’t eat much, but what he managed to get down was delicious, if a little cold.

After he finished he wasted no time in leaving the room. He emerged into a cabin, entirely different from the room he’d been in.

Stiles suspected it was because that’s where they usually kept their nonviolent hostages. The thought made him shiver but he ignored it.

He briskly walked to a window, finding the outside to be surrounded by trees. Not surprising; werewolves preferred the forest, but he wondered exactly where they were.

They weren’t stupid enough to keep Stiles in Beacon Hills, and these trees looked denser than what they had back in California.

From what he could tell as he made his way downstairs, he was alone. The place was simple, and felt unlived in. Stiles could see how it was Derek’s.

The Omega wanted to test just how far they would let him go before dragging him back. He didn’t believe he was actually free, not for a second.

So Stiles started charging down the rest of the stairs, quickly finding the front door and barreling out. Derek stood outside, arms crossed, feet spread like he was ready for a fight.

Stiles knew it. “I’m leaving.”

“Fine. Go. I already said you were free to do as you want.” Derek said, eyes blank. Stiles started walking past him and the Alpha made no move to stop him.

“But,” Derek interrupted and Stiles rolled his eyes.

“Let me guess, there’s an army of werewolves out there that I have to get past? Or wait, maybe a trap of some kind? Seems like it would be right up your alley since you like secretly ambushing people.”

Stiles turned around, walking backwards with his arms up. Derek turned to face him.

“You are currently in the center of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada. It is more than 6 million acres. Campers, hunters, even rangers can’t travel this far in. I meant what I said that you are free to go. Hales and associated packs are spread over the entire area, they have been instructed to ignore you should you pass them. If you stay here, you will be fed, clothed, and entertained. If you leave, you will receive nothing. I can promise you that walking your way out won’t work, though you know that. It’s your choice. I’ll be inside.”

Derek turned and walked back into the house, leaving Stiles gaping and speechless. He turned to look around him, gazing up at the trees that surrounded him. He felt like an ant in the middle of central park.

The Humboldt-Toiyabe was on Nevada’s border, crossing into parts of California. How cruel was it that he was so close to home, but have it be impossible to reach? The Hales had given him his freedom, by offering two choices.

Captivity…or death.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally we are seeing the dark side of the Hales. How do yo all feel about this? Get ready for some craziness! 
> 
> Stiles in the beginning was so sad! Dx But he is suuuuuper pissed, and I am excited to see where it goes! 
> 
> I hope you liked it. Stay tuned my fluffies!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: I am going on a mini vacation next week (August 10-16) to go visit my best friend before school starts. I am going to be busier than hell so I don't know when I will be able to write! I hope to get at least one more chapter out before I leave but I just wanted to give you all a heads up.
> 
> Now, I am addicted to your love and support. It makes this so much fun and rewarding. Big hugs and much thanks. The story is gearing up for its climax so hold on for the ride! 
> 
> Enjoy:)

Chapter 13

* * *

 

**Derek’s POV**

_“He won’t talk to me.” Derek said to the people around him. Stiles’ face haunted him, his voice screaming for Derek to leave him alone was a sting in his ear._

_“He’s chained to a bed, I really don’t blame him.” Lydia said, shaking her head. Derek sighed, it’s not that he wanted to resort to that. But short of telling Stiles the truth, there was little he could do._

_“Scott, go see how he is.” Derek ordered, voice gruff. The other Alpha looked confused._

_“Wait, what am I supposed to say?”_

_“I don’t care. He was crying when I left. Just…see if he’s okay.” Derek needed to know if he was better. Though he didn’t know what good it would do._

_They still couldn’t release him, not with everything going on outside._

_~ ~ ~_

_“It’s not like he can leave, he’ll die if he tries. Boy is smart enough for that” Peter said, downing a glass of whiskey. “We need to get some wolfsbane brew up here.”_

_“Derek, he won’t eat if we don’t do something.” Talia said, trying to reason with him. Derek slammed his hand into the wall, the wood splintering under it._

_They were currently at the main cabin, where Talia and the rest stayed. Derek’s cabin was a few miles away, secluded. He thought of Stiles, pissed off in the room._

_“Are the other cabins and dens ready?” Derek asked his mother who nodded. “We’ll clear everyone away from here then. It’s safe enough to move around. If he tries to run, no one talks to him.”_

_“Do you really think this is a good idea?” Scott murmured. Stiles had been really angry the last time he saw him. “He won’t just stay here.”_

_“Scott’s right. Stiles will do everything he can to escape, or at the very least, make life very hard for you.” Talia said, sympathizing with her son but this was_ his _doing._

_Derek growled in frustration. “I know. If it comes to that, I will track him. I won’t let anything happen to him. But I don’t want him starving and I don’t want him locked up there anymore.”_

_“You could always just be honest with him.” Talia began ushering everyone out, they needed to get the packs out of the area._

_“And watch them kill him like they did to dad?” He said, eyes hard and unforgiving. Talia flashed her eyes at him but left soon after, lips pursed and eyes heated._

_Derek wasn’t wrong. Still, Stiles deserved to know. Though Talia had a feeling the Omega would find out on his own. She just hoped it was before everything fell apart._

_They didn’t have much time._

~ ~ ~

**Stiles POV**

“Fuck it.” Stiles raised his arms, eyes wide but blank as he started walking. There was no way in hell he was going back into that house, not yet.

It was pointless to assume he’d be getting out of this forest on his own, certainly not on foot. But he was two seconds away from full on panic and he couldn’t have that.

Still, he needed to calm down and Derek’s presence was _not_ helpful in that department. So he was going to walk.

Derek had said other Hales were in the area, so Stiles would set out on finding them. It would provide as a distraction and give him some idea as to the layout of the forest.

He was going to turn this shitty situation of his into an opportunity. Stiles would find something on the Hales if it killed him. He could worry about getting out of this hell hole of nature later.

The DNA sample flashed through his mind. Thank god he was the only person who knew where he’d taken it. And he had specifically told the female analyst not to tell another soul about it.

If he could get back, that would be the first place he went. For now, he needed to scope out where he was, find others if possible, and put some distance between him and the Alpha whose balls were in severe danger if he didn’t.

But if Derek was telling the truth, than Stiles could get lost within 30 minutes. So the Omega looked around and spotted a small shed next to the cabin.

He walked up to it, noticing a fingerprint scanner by the knob. Great. He was not about to ask Derek for anything so Stiles searched around for a good rock.

He found one a tad larger than his hand, reared his arm back, and chucked it at the shed’s window. It smashed easily and a smug grin came over Stiles’ face.

Had they been in town, a Hale shed would have had shatter-proof glass, but they probably didn’t worry about anyone finding this place.

Either way, he knew Derek would hear him so he had to hurry. He used a stick to scrape away to remnants of the shards before grabbing onto the edge and hoisting himself up.

The window was small but so was Stiles; he slipped it with minimal difficulty and dropped into a mini armory.

All around him were guns, knives, even fucking machetes. They were all locked inside glass containers, with more fingerprint scanners at the ready.

“Holy shit.” Stiles whispered, eyes latching onto every piece of deadly material in there. This was either a private collection, or a stash. Either way, it was eerie and Stiles didn’t know exactly how to feel about it.

He did have a strange itchy feeling all over his skin though, and he couldn’t shake it off. He searched the room and eventually saw exactly what he needed.

In the corner was what one would expect to find in a shed: shovels, tools, and rope. Stiles reached for the rope, finding a few sets which he quickly slung onto his shoulder over his chest.

Below them sat a single hand gun. It was Stiles’ lucky day. He picked the .45 up, inspecting the camber and magazine.

The gun wasn’t loaded but it was full. He scanned around for some bullets which were further in the back, inside a pouch. He flipped the safety on, hooking the pouch onto his jeans and keeping the gun close.

This must be a personal gun, to be left out of the containers. Either way, it was his now. Fuck you too Derek.

Speaking of the devil, the shed door swung open and the wolf himself stood there. Light poured in, masking his face and making him look like a demon.

It suited him disturbingly well.

“What are you doing?” Derek asked, knowing full well what he was doing. Stiles was very aware of the gun in his hand, but he wasn’t tempted to shoot Derek.

Stiles only shot out of defense, and he didn’t have wolfsbane bullets to begin with. Besides, a deep part of himself really hated the idea of hurting Derek. That punch earlier didn’t feel good for either of them.

“Hiking.” He said, walking right up to the Alpha and meeting the man’s eyes. Stiles didn’t know what to expect but Derek shifted, letting him through without so much as a blink.

Stiles walked past, refusing to be effected in any way.

“Dinner is in two hours.” Derek said, beginning to turn around. A shot of annoyance slivered down Stiles’ spine and he turned toward the Alpha who was heading inside.

“You asshole,” he whispered to himself. Stiles lifted the gun up, aiming it and shooting with quick efficiency. Derek didn’t deserve to act so nonchalantly.

Derek stopped, slowly turning to look at the now shattered window of the cabin. And Stiles didn’t stop, targeting every window on that side of the building and shooting through the glass.

He watched with grim satisfaction as they busted, glass raining down. After he was done, Derek turned to eye him, a glimmer of something in his expression.

 “That’s for drugging me and chaining me to a fucking bed.” Stiles hissed, turning and walking away. He felt no regret. Now he just needed to explore where the hell he was.

~ ~ ~

Stiles thanked god he had taken several showers out of pure boredom while stuck in that room. Plus his clothes were clean which made hiking through the forest a lot more pleasant.

And a forest it was. Having lived in Oregon most of his life, he was used to masses of trees. But whenever he or anyone else had hiked, they did so reasonably close to town.

Very few people ventured too far, and looking around, Stiles understood why. There was a wildness this deep into the landscape that wasn’t there on the outskirts.

Stiles spotted insects and small animals he’d never seen. He kept looking back, keeping the cabin within sight.

The second it fell beneath his eye line, he grabbed one of the ropes, tying it to a tree and letting it fall to the ground as he walked.

He would have to go back, that was obvious. If no one else would help him, then he was left with no other choice.

As angry as Stiles was at Derek, it wasn’t worth risking his life in the forest. He wasn’t familiar with the surroundings, and right now he needed to be focused on escaping or getting more evidence, not on avoiding predators that could see in the dark a lot better than he could.

But for now, Stiles pushed the thought of Derek away, focusing on distributing the rope evenly as he walked.

It wasn’t long before he heard little growls and he quickly hid behind a large trunk, peering out from behind it.

Four small wolf cubs were play fighting, little teeth nipping at each other’s ears and tails. This was the side of the Hales that Stiles was stuck on.

He doubted all of them were involved in the underground functions of the family, but they all had to know about it. Still, that didn’t make them criminals themselves.

And these little cubs were even further removed. Stiles felt the all too familiar confliction rise up in him, if he found something to use on the Hales, the kids would suffer the most.

Stiles knew best what it was like to grow up with a missing parent. The kids he was watching now might lose whole patches of family.

Suddenly, all four of the pups snapped their head to the side, peering down between the trees. Stiles looked over, unable to hear whatever they had but skin tingling with caution.

Slowly, like a bad joke, a black bear appeared. It was small from this distance, but Stiles didn’t want to know how much bigger it would get.

The cubs must have had the same idea but they were young. An adult would have been silent, backing off slowly as to not alarm to bear, considering it had yet to notice them.

But instead, they ran, turning tail in the opposite direction and bolting. The bear’s ears twitched, its eyes narrowing in and its nose inhaling.

It looked directly at Stiles, and the Omega ran through everything in his head he had heard about bear attacks.

Don’t run, look big, but back away. As it was, the second the bear caught scent of the pups, it was over. It started running toward him, after the cubs but still aware of his presence.

Stiles snapped his neck, staring at the pups who were still running. They were small, unable to run very fast and the bear was closing in.

“Shit.” Stiles bit his lip, making a decision. He ran after the pups. Trying to stop the bear would end up in a very dead Stiles and the cubs might not have enough time to make it out.

He knew he had a gun, but Stiles didn’t want to use it to kill a bear. He was on its turf, in its home. He was the intruder. It didn’t feel right.

So he sprinted, tucking the weapon into his pants. If he had to, he would use it. But only if nothing else worked.

The Omega caught up to the pups easily, hands reaching out to grab their scruffs. He bundled them into his arms, hissing when they bit down.

“It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you,” he huffed, lungs working double time. “HELP!” Stiles screamed, hoping the other weres would hear.

The pups started whimpering and one howled. It wasn’t long until an answering howl came back, making Stiles nearly faint from relief.

He could hear the bear roar behind them, not too far but not on top of them. They might actually make it out alive.

Adult wolves, in various Alpha/Beta/Omega forms came after them, lips peeled back and growls reverberating through their chests.

Stiles tossed the cubs forward, gentle enough so the impact wouldn’t be painful but they needed to be next to their pack as fast as possible.

He whirled around, grabbing his gun just in case. But the bear had stopped, snorting into the ground. It must be a male, with as big as it was.

His eyes were black, his fur thick and body strong. The wolves behind Stiles put on their own power display, threating with their growls.

Stiles had the gun pointed to the ground, his hands steady around the handle. But the bear must have worked out this was a losing battle.

So with one last grunt, he turned around and began stalking off. Stiles thought it was strange, normally a bear’s aggression wouldn’t be so easily soothed.

He turned back around to look at the weres and he realized that the Hales were the reason. Standing here staring at the small group of them, it was easy to see.

Derek’s form was awesome in its strength and sheer appearance. But seeing a group of them in broad daylight made Stiles realize the power they had, just by existing.

That bear had turned away because it knew who ruled over this place. No matter the sex, all of them were huge, their fur like gentle needles bristling in the wind.

Their eyes were glowing, intelligent and feral. Stiles imagined Derek and Talia standing at the head of them, Alphas. He shivered at the idea, his skin still alive with that tingly sensation.

Stiles gasped, quickly shaking his head, ridding his mind of the thoughts. What the hell was he thinking? The weres in front of him were staring, the cubs tucked safely behind one of them.

They peaked out however, eyes shining before they all bolted out at once, barreling towards him. They jumped onto him, knocking him onto his butt.

Stiles started laughing, unable to stop as the tiny wolves licked at his face, tails wagging happily. Stiles couldn’t speak to them like this, but he was pretty sure this was gratitude.

“Okay okay, I gotta get up.” He said, standing even as the pups scratched at his legs. He gazed up, the adults still staring at him.

One of them barked at the cubs who hesitantly walked back to them. One of the adults, a Beta, walked up to him. The female huffed at him, bumping his arm with her nose in thanks.

 Together, they turned and walked the other way, the kids looking back at Stiles every now and then. Right, they couldn’t talk to him.

Stiles sighed, at least the female had acknowledged his help, that was probably the most she could do. But he wasn’t going to give in, so he followed them.

They were clearly aware of his presence but he was free to do as he wanted so they didn’t react. He might as well be a ghost but he guessed that was the point.

Eventually they came up to a few other cabins and Stiles really wished he still had the rope. It wouldn’t be hard to find it again but he had no idea where the hell he was.

In a city, being lost was easy to deal with, but in the middle of a national forest, it wasn’t so relaxed. The people here didn’t seem to care though, they were having a barbeque, the grill outside puffing with smoke.

Everyone looked over, obviously spotting him. But the second their gaze touched him, they would snap away and never look back.

It must have been on Derek’s orders for people to treat him like this. It made Stiles want to shoot the rest of the Alpha’s windows out.

It was strange, wondering around outside someone’s home, tons of people doing the same, but being completely ignored by all of them.

Even the kids avoided him, though they stared quite a bit more. Eventually, he sat on a log bench, pressing his elbows into his knees so he could hold his head up.

It had been a long day and truthfully, Stiles didn’t know why he bothered with his little expedition. What did he expect to accomplish?

Sure, he was mad at Derek, at all of the Hales really. But making stupid decisions wasn’t a productive reaction.

He probably would have gotten more out of actually talking to Derek. He’d have to do that later, even if the Alpha was the last person he wanted to see.

In the distance, he saw a woman handing a plate of food to a group of kids, and quickly pointing to Stiles. The Omega sat up, a bit surprised as they all ran over.

The children didn’t say anything, but their eyes shined with happiness and their little hands stretched out to hand him the plate.

Stiles looked up at the women who smiled at him softly, whistling to the kids who waved at him and ran back over to her.

Stiles cracked a smile, staring down at the grilled meat and fries. After how shitty he had been feeling, the small gesture made his chest swell with unexpected emotion.

He passed dinner like that, smug in the fact that Derek was having to eat alone. Eventually it was time to head out, he needed to find that rope and get back before night fell.

So Stiles watched the subset of the Hale pack mingle abut for a little longer, watching them prepare a bonfire before he stealthy slipped away.

In the back of his mind he was knocking himself for not trying to sneak into the house, but it didn’t feel right. He didn’t have a search warrant and while that was a moot point now, considering he had been kidnapped, it still meant something to him.

Stiles trudged back, legs working fast as he raced against the sunset. He spotted the rope a little ways away but suddenly tripped, his foot catching on something.

He caught himself before tumbling to the ground but he glared at the forest floor. Beneath the brush and twigs, Stiles caught sight of a brown edge, sticking up from the dirt.

_What in the world?_ He thought, hunching down the touch it. It was cardboard, hard and durable. He started digging immediately, wondering what it could be.

The sun was sinking and Stiles didn’t have a flashlight, this was bad. He started clawing at the soil, feeling it curl under his fingernails, but he didn’t stop.

He was able to unearth the corner of a box but he didn’t have much time. Stiles grabbed a jagged rock and started slamming it down into the material.

Minutes of hard swinging passed, and it was barley giving way but Stiles kept it up, feeling the strain set into his shoulder.

His past injuries were healing like champs but movement like this was going to aggravate them. Thankfully, small hole started to form and Stiles went at it like mad.

He could hear howls from all around and he hoped it was enough to drown out the sound of his effort. Finally, like a miracle, Stiles was able to fit a few fingers in and start pulling.

It must have been a half hour if not more for him to get a good peak inside. The little sunlight he had left fell on metal.

But he couldn’t make out a clear shape and he cursed. Stiles needed a knife and a flashlight, or this wasn’t going to work.

Stiles scrambled to his feet and started jogging alongside the rope, making his way back to Derek’s cabin. He didn’t have much hope but he needed to try something.

The Omega burst inside, finding the door unlocked and hearing no one inside. He didn’t bother trying to be quiet, he didn’t have time and Derek could go suck a dick.

He grabbed a knife that would make Michael Myers proud and started rummaging through every drawer in the kitchen.

Nothing. “Dammit,” he sighed, looking around. He ran around, finding the garage door and pushing his way through.

Inside sat a huge 4x4 truck, a large tool box, and Derek. His legs were coming out from the bottom and Stiles mentally slapped himself for starting to think like a pervert again.

Climbing those legs wasn’t on the menu, now or ever. The Alpha pushed himself out on the rolling creeper, staring at Stiles, unsurprised.

Wasn’t worried about him huh? Asshole. But more importantly, one of those lights that strapped to the head was sitting above Derek’s eyes and a lightbulb lit up in his head.

Stiles bucked forward, hand shooting out to grab the flashlight, yanking off of Derek and grinning like a madman. The Alpha didn’t wince but looked confused and momentarily surprised.

The Omega turn on his heel and sped out, leaving Derek alone to deal with his perplexity. Stiles half-wished he could stick around to see him covered in motor oil, but life was cruel and he was in a time crunch.

His skin was starting to get even more sensitive and he wondered if his anxiety was getting to him. Stiles ignored it and urged himself to go faster.

The rope was a great idea and he quickly sprinted along it, finding the scratched up box near the end of it. Stiles immediately went at it with the knife.

Kitchen knives weren’t exactly meant for jobs like this but it was getting the job done, slicing through the cardboard.

Once he got the top chopped off, he grabbed the flashlight, tucking it onto his head and staring inside. A metal case sat neatly tucked into it, a small switch on the side.

Stiles flipped it, prying it open. His heart was pumping, and it skipped a beat when his eyes fell onto the guns.

Military grade weapons were nestled together, their metal glinting in the light. On top sat a folded envelope. Stiles quickly ripped it open.

It was a receipt, detailing the order number, content information, and location. It was being sent to Canada, the customer name was left out. Its destination arrival date was set for two weeks out.

Stiles sat back onto his legs, shocked. What was he expecting though? A rustle came from his side and he quickly grabbed his gun, ready to shoot.

The flashlight on his head revealed the tired form of Derek walking through the forest, “Stiles, what’re you…” he said, before his eyes caught onto him and then the box.

The Alpha’s eyes widened and snapped back to Stiles who was staring at him like he was a zombie. He shouldn’t be surprised, shouldn’t hold any doubt after they had abducted him.

But every time the Hales gave him reason to suspect them, they would conflict him with their sincerity, their kindness. No matter how badly Stiles wanted to believe in the good of people, sitting right in front of him was evidence. And that couldn’t be denied.

So he looked up at Derek with narrowed eyes and spoke in a breathless voice. “You’re smuggling guns?”

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Rubs chin* Does this count as a cliffhanger? *Smiles innocently before diving under a table to hide.* It wasn't nearly as bad as the other one though! But I will say, as we head forward, there will probably (definitely) be more of them. It's just how I roll. Like a devil. ^-^
> 
> I do hope you enjoyed this and are getting excited for the end! Answers are comiiiiiiing!!!! See you next time lovelies <3 Have a great rest of your week!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the deal y'all, I leave tomorrow. *Looks at the clock and sees 12:46 am* Okay so I leave later today.  
> That being said, I will do my utmost to write whenever possible, but I know that will be very little. SO, I have been generous. *-* But I do have a question for you all that you'll need to answer down below. (Question is in the end notes.) So make sure to do that! 
> 
> Now, thank you for your continued support! It's such a treat every time one of you drops a kudos or a comment. So all the loves. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 14

* * *

 

Only now did Stiles realize the sheer amount of hope he had that he was wrong about the Hales. He _wanted_ to be wrong.

He wasn’t an overly optimistic person, his life hadn’t allowed him to be. But for once he had wanted for his suspicions to turn up with nothing.

 But why? It hadn’t started out that way. He had crashed his ATV with the full intention of trapping the Hales in their own game. He hadn’t had any doubts.

It was the way they welcomed him in, gave him food and care. It was how Talia reminded him so much of his mother, and how she was a living connection to Claudia’s life. A life he didn’t get to be a part of for long.

The sheer love of their pack, of their family, clouded his mind. He had constantly used the “finding evidence” excuse to make himself feel better.

And then there was Derek. He never pretended to be anything other than who he was. He wasn’t the best person, but he protected his family and was loyal to a fault.

Stiles had been inexplicably drawn to him from the very beginning, but had ignored the feeling. Not that it mattered, he ended up getting pulled along at the Alpha’s pace, finding that he didn’t mind it one bit.

But sitting next to him in a metal case, was everything he hadn’t wanted to believe. Gun smuggling meant connections to cartels, mercenaries, probably even more.

Derek’s face was hard stone but his chest caved back in a deep sigh. “If you come back with me, I will explain everything.”

Stiles didn’t believe that for one second, and Derek knew it.

“Take one of those guns, load it, and you can take it with you. Regular bullets won’t kill me but they will stop me if I try anything.”

“How do you possibly expect me to go back to a house you trapped me in once? You’ll just do it again.” Stiles said, voice oddly hollow.

“Stiles, if I wanted to imprison you, hurt you, or kill you, I would have done it by now. We are surrounded by my pack, in the middle of a forest millions of acres large. To be blunt, I could do anything I wanted and no one would ever find out.”

Stiles’ eyes went wide, his body swaying back a bit.

“The fact that I haven’t, that I’ve traveled with you and watched you help my pack, should be enough for you to know I won’t do anything. I’m just asking that you hear me out.” Derek reasoned.

Stiles reached over and grabbed a semi-automatic, loading it as quickly as he could. The Alpha had a point, and even if Stiles didn’t want to go, he didn’t have much of a choice.

He could shoot Derek, and then quickly get his head ripped off by the pack, only for the wolf to heal. He could run, but Derek could easily catch him.

Sometimes the next step wasn’t one you wanted to take, but if it meant progress, Stiles would take it. He still had his hand gun, but he would keep that for emergencies.

“Turn around and walk. I’ll follow you.” Stiles said, tucking to gun to his shoulder and aiming it directly at Derek. It wasn’t a good feeling, and the crawling feeling all over his skin confirmed that.

The Alpha turned, walking toward the cabin with a barrel of a gun at his back. They eventually made their way inside, and Derek took a seat in the dining room.

Stiles sat opposite of him, gun placed on the table for easy access. “Talk.” He said, meeting Derek’s eyes.

“As you can tell, we don’t exactly operate within the law.” Derek began and Stiles stayed silent, feeling sarcasm rise within him but biting it back.

“I won’t go into everything, but we do it for a reason. Sheriff Ben Larson? That’s just the beginning. That prejudice runs deep in a lot of people’s minds, more than you would expect. Even people in power, who have a very easy time making life hell for all were-creatures. They nearly wiped out the Hale pack a long time ago. So we went underground, starting building up our pack in several different places. Several became numerous. But it was unknown, it had to be. Werewolves in particular were targeted because they ran in packs, so no one could know. But hunters lived in the underground too, outlawed but still fully functioning. So to fight them while maintaining our protection, the Hales began establishing themselves in the less savory side of things. Guns, scent and heat suppressors, gambling, things like that. It allowed us to keep watch on our enemies, killing them when needed while staying out of the eye of bigots in power. Slowly though, society became more openly accepting, and we took the opportunity to establish the Hales as upstanding citizens, spread across North America. That way, they couldn’t touch us. But eventually the corruption swelled, the people in power got into contact with hunters, contracting them to kill us. So we had no other choice but to keep both routes open.”

“You keep saying ‘people in power,’ who are you talking about?” Stiles asked, trying to grapple with all this information.

“I won’t tell you, I don’t want you involved. That was the whole point of bringing you here. It’s why I kept you locked up in that room.”

“Wait, what?” Stiles asked and Derek sighed again.

“They targeted your home at the same time that they attacked Beacon Hills. We didn’t know that until I got that phone call. None of that was planned. Peter called, saying the hunters were looking for you because they’d seen you working with us up in Montana. I could have told you that, but you would have immediately gone running. They would have killed you. And I didn’t want you to know the truth about us because you’d be involved with the people who want us dead. The plan was to keep you safe until tensions lowered, but they never did. And you started starving yourself.” Derek shook his head, exasperated.

“More attacks have been happening, regular humans are dying as a result. So my mother made a call. Right now, every Hale and associated pack is gathered in the main national forests of North America, in an effort to divert the hunter’s attention to us. I planned to send you back home when they left the Portland area. But as it is, we are expecting a much larger attack. The only way to protect you is to keep you here.”

Stiles scoffed. “Why protect me? Why not just let me go? I would have never found out about your families mafia bullshit. Hell, they may have even killed me. Seems like a much easier option.”

Derek growled at his comment but suddenly, someone stepped into the dining room, looking satisfied.

“Because you’ve pair bonded.” Deaton said, strolling in like the pop-up ghost he was. Stiles was struck, not really processing what the doctor had said.

“Deaton, no-“

“He’ll get sick if you don’t tell him. You’ve already been acting ill, we need you to be in good health. As your emissary and physician, that’s my responsibility. Now Stiles, have you been feeling an itchy sensation on your skin, any discomfort?” The Beta asked and Stiles looked up at him, surprised. 

“Um…yeah. But what do you mean pair bonded?”

“Your bodies have recognized your compatibility, and while you have been in each other’s company, while also being in physical contact, the pair bond was formed. The itching is a result of your sudden change of emotion towards Derek. Your bodies are reacting negatively to your aversion for Derek’s actions. It’s similar to touch starvation. If you want it to stop, you’ll have to reconcile and well, touch.”  Deaton’s eyes danced with amusement but Stiles wasn’t laughing.

He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply and making a decision. “I don’t care.” He opened them again. “I refuse to be a person who denies the truth when it is staring me in the face. We’ve pair bonded, big deal. We’ll get over it, and if that means being sick, so be it.”

Stiles turned to face Derek, eyes hard. “I don’t care why you brought me here. Regardless of any good intentions you have ever had, you are still criminals. I don’t know what powers in the world hate you, but they couldn’t be more than a few corrupt cops. I let you explain, but all I came back with is you need to be charged for your crimes. I saw what people like Larson thought of weres, and I think people like that are garbage. But I know enough that your underground activities had to have resulted in an innocent’s death. Probably many. I won’t be a part of that. You would have been better off letting me die by the hunter’s hands.”

Stiles stood and walked out, leaving the larger gun behind. His feelings were awry but he was surprisingly resigned. All Derek did was confirm what Stiles had known.

And while it was a pretty story, wrapped up in a logical bow, he couldn’t blindly believe it. He could buy in that the Hales weren’t evil people, that they didn’t have bad intentions. He’d seen that himself.

But Stiles was a detective, a man of the law, and that couldn’t change just because a criminal could explain why they did what they did.

A desperate part of himself, probably that damn pair bond, understood where Derek was coming from. The Hale Empire was not built overnight, so he had been born into it.

It was also true that not too long ago, being a were wasn’t something to be proud of. Prejudice still existed in many places and the Hales were genuinely trying to fight that.

But their transgressions couldn’t be written off so easily. What “powers” did the Alpha mean anyway? Legislation had been in favor of weres in recent memory, so he really had no clue.

Stiles stalked upstairs, grabbing his stuff and moving it to another room with a window and no chains. He was going to sleep so that when dawn rose, he could get an early start.

Stiles wasn’t too sure what he was going to do, but he wanted to talk to Talia, and demand some truth from her.

And he needed to get a cellphone. That DNA sample was crucial. Stiles had a feeling it was connected to this whole mess, but he needed some confirmation.

For now, he was going to put his head down and pretend he was somewhere else, even if his skin refused to believe that.

~ ~ ~

**Derek’s POV**

“You didn’t tell him the whole truth,” Deaton sighed, sitting down next to Derek who looked stricken, eyes red from exertion.

“I only told him that because he found the guns we were getting ready to ship out. But it’s better this way.”

“Better for who? You know as well as I do that if you keep this up, you’ll both end up bed ridden. You are our Alpha heir, and if a war is on the horizon, you need to be ready for it. Not stuck in bed because you refuse to acknowledge your and Stiles’-“

Derek held up a hand, stopping Deaton before rubbing it back down his weary face. “He’s safe. Right now, that is the most important. Everything else can be figured out later. Now, I’m guessing you came to say something before you eavesdropped?”

“I’m a doctor Derek, I don’t eavesdrop, I observe. But if you must know, your mother is sending for you. She has new information on the hunter’s movements. Things are getting worse.” Deaton said, looking solemn.

Derek nodded, thinking of the Omega sleeping above them. He didn’t know how he was going to keep Stiles safe when everything went to shit, but if the burning of his skin was any indication, he would do it by instinct alone if he had to.

He just hoped it didn’t come to that.

 

~ ~ ~

Stiles woke up in the middle of the night, skin aflame. Heats felt like a burning from within him that pushed out.

This was different. It was like his skin was crawling, so much so that it felt like a constant sting. And only one thing came to mind: Derek.

So this was touch starvation. It happened rather often to Omegas who were brought up with frequent physical affection.

After Claudia’s death, Stiles didn’t get much of that. It turned to his benefit, he wouldn’t have been able to do this job if he had such needs.

But, of course, he went ahead and pair bonded with an A level criminal. He needed to write a comedy about his life.

Stiles gasped, hands slapping around his arms as the sensation got stronger. He remembered what Deaton said.

Negative thinking about Derek would only make it worse. But what could he do? Stiles felt himself getting angrier by the second.

He wouldn’t call for the Alpha, the man didn’t deserve it. As each second passed, and Stiles got increasingly frustrated, his pain grew.

He pushed his face into the pillow, sweat beading on his skin and lungs pumping hard. He focused all his attention on his breathing, trying to endure the feeling.

He must have been loud for soon after, the door to his room burst open, and Stiles snapped up, finding Derek in the doorway. The man looked as bad as Stiles felt, chest heaving, eyes glowing red.

Stiles’ eyes responded, lighting up gold and he bit into his gums to stop him from crying out. “Leave.” He said through gritted teeth.

“No.” Derek growled, entering the room and locking the door behind him. Stiles wasn’t in the shape to fight, but he wasn’t going to let this happen.

He scrambled over to the side, grabbing the hand gun that he had left on the end table and pointed it at Derek. The Alpha didn’t stop, coming toward the bed and settling his knees down on it.

He had no shirt on, no pants, just his underwear. He must have been asleep. Stiles wore exactly the same and he was intimately aware how close they were. And how good it would feel to rub himself all along Derek’s bare skin.

He realized that his hands were shaking, his aim off and mind hesitant. He didn’t want to shoot Derek.

“Stop,” Stiles said and Derek pushed forward, kneeling in front of him in the dark. Stiles could barely see the Alpha’s face, only the outline of his body with two bright red orbs up top.

To Stiles’ utter surprise, Derek didn’t disarm him. Instead, he grabbed the barrel of the gun, and lined it up with the middle of his forehead.

Stiles tried pulling it back, horrified but the man wouldn’t let him, keeping it firmly pressed against his head. “Derek stop, please.” He pulled again. “Please!”

“I trust you.” The Alpha said, voice full of confidence even as he struggled with his own discomfort. The Omega’s eyes went wide, whites surrounding the gold.

He was giving him a choice. Derek couldn’t leave, as an Alpha, his instinct to stay and ease the Omega’s pain was paramount.

But he didn’t want to force Stiles, that intent was clear. So Derek was giving him the choice. A blow to the head with a normal bullet wouldn’t kill a were, but it would put them out for weeks. And it would cause severe brain damage.

Stiles could escape, run somewhere, even if he got caught or was killed. He didn’t have to accept any of this. And yet, none of that came to mind.

Instead, his hands fell away from the gun like they were injected with electricity. He would never shoot Derek, he couldn’t.

He knew that should be wrong; he should be fully capable of subduing a criminal, especially one who had drugged and abducted him.

But he couldn’t. Stiles was mad at Derek, but it wasn’t out of justice or even a moral high ground. He was mad because he felt betrayed.

He shook his head, eyes closing tight and breathing coming faster. Stiles _felt_ things for Derek. This was his wake up call.

The Alpha had given him the perfect opportunity to take out the Hale’s heir. Derek would survive, but would never be the same.

And if the Hales didn’t kill him for doing it, he would be totally justified in terms of the law. But Stiles hadn’t even considered it, his heart beating in his throat with adrenaline pumping through his veins.

How long had he waited to hit the Hales where it hurt? But, Stiles knew in this moment that he could _never_ hurt Derek.

Before he went to bed, he had been resigned, but still in denial. He had left the table refusing to talk to Derek any longer because his subconscious was fighting his growing sympathy.

Stiles wanted to understand Derek, and the Hales, but doing so meant going against the thing he had dedicated his life to.

But now, like this, there existed only him and Derek. The Alpha watched him closely, slowly lowering the gun down and setting it back on the end table.

Stiles laughed cruelly, the man didn’t even unload it. Even now, he was making sure Stiles had an out. Why did he have to mix him up like this?

Derek made his intentions clear, reaching out his arm. Stiles met his gaze, unwavering despite the storm raging in his mind.

The wolf’s hand fell on his neck, right over his scent gland and Stiles bucked forward, unable to stop himself.

Derek’s skin felt like water, the sensation rushing over his skin like the rain, healing the pours underneath like cracked dirt.

Stiles needed more, his hands shooting out to grab onto Derek’s shoulders. It was too overwhelming, and Derek placed his other hand on Stiles’ hip, slowing him down.

The Omega shuddered over and over again, small sounds from his mouth the only indication that he was still coherent.

Derek pushed forward, letting Stiles fall back onto the bed, and pushing himself between the open legs. Stiles hooked his knees on Derek’s thighs, gasping.

The Alpha slowly lowered his chest, so Stiles felt every inch of skin that met until he was settled over top.

They were both hard, and their dicks pressed against each other insistently. Stiles bucked against him, his hole wet and in need of friction.

Derek growled, lowering his face and kissing Stiles. This was new, something new entirely. It was far more than the scratch of beard against Stiles mouth, or the way they breathed into each other, though both of those made him groan.

All of Stiles’ senses zoned out, focusing on the single body touching his. He could feel the way Derek’s chest pressed into his, the way the Alpha’s legs propped him up so he fit into the curve of the other’s body.

Derek licked into his mouth, exploring just enough to leave Stiles wanting more. Compared to the wildness going on in their minds, the kiss was slow, more intense than anything he’d ever experienced.

It said everything they couldn’t say to each other.

Stiles had one hand on the side of Derek’s cheek, the other ghosting down the man’s back and dipping into the lower curve.

He tilted his hips even further, and Derek answered with a shallow thrust. Stiles whimpered through his mouth, the sound muffled but the meaning clear.

He wasn’t thinking, he couldn’t. There were too many factors, too many emotions, for him to sort through. Stiles didn’t want to deal with any of that.

For once, he just wanted to stop thinking, and enjoy what was in front of him. He’d held himself back at every step, trying to deny his desire.

Though, the last time he gave in, he ended up with a syringe in his neck.

 _I trust you_. Derek’s words flashed through his mind. Stiles didn’t know if he could ever admit it out loud, but he trusted him too.

Even after everything, Stiles believed that Derek would never do something to hurt him. As foolish as that made him, this was hardly the time to lie to himself.

The Alpha pulled back, eyes still burning red as he started his dissent downward. He kissed Stiles’ neck, licking down slowly.

Derek’s hands soothed down his sides, coaxing his legs to part further, massaging the muscles as he went.

Derek sucked the Omega’s nipple into his mouth, savoring the quiet whines that it elicited. Stiles had one fist balled up in the sheets below, the other squeezing Derek’s shoulder.

“H-Hurry,” he huffed, muscles starting to twitch. The pressure build up was balancing on a thin wire, and Derek was purposefully dragging it out.

“No.” Derek said, voice vibrating against the dip of Stiles’ bellybutton.

“I need it.” Stiles shifted, but Derek grabbed his hips, pushing them down into the mattress.

 “Need what?” Derek asked, voice deep as he sat up and raised Stiles legs up and over his shoulders, teeth turning to bite down into the soft flesh of the Omega’s thigh.

“Don’t make me say it,” Stiles said, turning his face into the pillow, face red and body flushed. Derek’s palm came down right over him, rubbing his dick through his underwear.

Stiles cried out, hands flying to grab Derek’s thick wrist but unable to stop his ministrations. He could feel every flex of fingers and tendons, rolling as Derek massaged him.

“Be good for me.” Derek replied, eyes dark with lust and erection pressed up against Stiles ass. How he had so much control, Stiles didn’t know.

“I-Inside.” He whispered, feeling shameless and Derek squeezed him, making him hiss.

“Louder.”

“I want you inside me,” Stiles caved, hands coming up to cover his face. Right now he very much felt like the virgin he was.

Derek rewarded him by grabbing the edges of his underwear and lifting, slowly letting the fabric rush over his skin and reveal the wetness underneath.

Once it was off, Derek grabbed Stiles and jerked him up and over. He landed on his knees, one hand pressed into the bed to catch himself.

“Get me wet.” Derek ordered, staring down at Stiles who was face to face with the Alpha’s crotch. His cock was hard, sticking up and leaking.

As embarrassed as Stiles was, this was something he could do. And what he lacked in experience, he’d make up in enthusiasm.

He licked a long line from the bottom to the top, over the fabric until he reached the uncovered tip. Stiles’ legs shook when he tasted Derek’s precum, the thick liquid salty and delicious.

Derek’s scent was strong here and Stiles buried his face in, pulling insistently at the underwear until it was hooked below.

He spent time lathing at the Alpha’s sack, arching his back obscenely and shivering as the air cooled over his overheated body.

Derek grabbed his cock, rubbing it over Stiles’ lips before guiding it into his mouth. “Good boy,” he said and the other beamed at the praise.

Then he got to work, using everything he could to tempt Derek. The man above him leaned over, right before a smack came to his ass and Stiles jerked forward, taking more of Derek into his mouth.

The Alpha was getting more and more forceful as time passed. Stiles felt two fingers gently probing at his hole, circling around it and dipping in slightly.

“Mmmm,” Stiles complained, pushing his hips back and sucking hard. Derek grunted, sinking the two digits in and the Omega almost blacked out.

They stayed like that until slick was sliding down his thighs and nearing the bed, Stiles sucking at Derek like it grounded him, with fingers massaging his insides.

Eventually, Derek eased Stiles back and the Omega moved on his own, spinning around, slamming his shoulders into the bed and pressing his ass back into Derek’s hips. Presenting to his Alpha. ‘ _The_ Alpha. Not his.’ Stiles quickly corrected himself.

Then, he made the highest pitch keen he could muster, knowing exactly the reaction it would provoke. Derek growled, hand slamming into his shoulder to further press him down and torso covering his back.

His teeth bit over the back of Stiles’ neck, not enough to break skin but it effectively stopped him from moving.

Derek’s cock slid in between his cheeks, coating itself in his slick before pushing at his rim.

“Beg.” The command was said into Stiles’ ear and he could do nothing but obey.

“Please,” he whined, “please f-fuck me.” Derek continued to tease him and Stiles gave up, knowing what he wanted. “Please Alpha.” He whispered, and Derek sank into him.

Stiles body was made to do this, but the stretch still burned, making his legs tense and hips stand still. He open mouthed gasped, hands grasping the sheets and wringing them in his palms.  

Derek let out a deep grunt, grinding himself further down. It was too much all at once and Stiles felt dizzy. He imagined how amazing this would feel during his heat, when he was aching and empty.

The thought had him swiveling his hips, “M-More.”

Derek started frustratingly slow, ramming into him with powerful but shallow thrusts, ones that pushed on Stiles prostate but only just.

He would only increase his speed when Stiles asked or let out a particularly loud cry. The bed rocked with their movements, slamming into the cabin wall and screeching on the wooden floors.

The Omega arched his back painfully hard, his mind feeling hazy as each snap of Derek’s hips caused him to hike higher and higher up on the bed until his head almost hit the back board.

Derek pulled him up, one hand on his hip the other petting along his torso until he reached a nipple and pinched.

Stiles had gone nonverbal, completely incapable of doing anything other than meet Derek’s movements. His head lolled back onto Derek’s shoulder, his arms propped up on the back board that was dangerously close to snapping.

Derek leaned over, clamping over his throat, his teeth like a vice. That’s when Stiles felt it, the fat bulge pushing against his hole. Derek’s knot.

Something in him activated and his desperation spiked. He _needed_ that knot inside of him. So Stiles used the bed frame as leverage and pressed himself down.

Derek breathed in sharply, grabbing onto Stiles’ hips. “No.”

“H-ah-Have to.” Stiles replied, wrestling against the other’s strength. This was as closest to a non-heat heat that he had ever felt.

But Stiles was still coherent; he knew why Derek was resisting. Knotting was intimate, _really_ intimate. There were legal ramifications if an Omega was knotted without consent, even if the sex was agreed to.

There was an insistence inside of him though, one that would not be swayed no matter what logic he put into this.

“Alpha,” he gasped, “knot me.”

Not needing very much, it threw Derek over the edge, and the man bit into Stiles’ scent gland hard, pushing his hips up with a punishing amount of force. The skin held, but they were so close to a mate bite it almost hurt.

Stiles felt every millimeter of the knot stretch his rim, his hole swallowing it once the thick bulge was far enough in.

It carved into his prostate hard, the pressure unrelenting and his nerves shot up from his toes. He opened his mouth, vision and hearing blinking out as he became a live ball of energy.

Stiles didn’t know if it was a silent cry or an ear-piercing scream, but the result was the same and he lost all control as Derek’s cock pulsed inside of him, liquid gushing out and filling him.

Stiles had never felt the urge to be bred like this, but he wanted it so badly now that he could think of little else.

When he stopped jolting, and Derek regained some semblance of control, he settled into a deep sense of satisfaction.

There was still an itch that he couldn’t scratch, what that was he didn’t know. But he didn’t want to think about it, not now, and Derek seemed to be on board with the idea.

The Alpha carefully maneuvered the covers underneath them, creating a suitable resting place before slowly settling them both down.

Stiles was tucked closely into Derek, his rim continuing to milk the knot so that shots of pleasure slithered up through both of them.

He felt safe, as ridiculous as that was. The way he always did with Derek. The way he shoulder never feel with him, but did anyway.

They didn’t talk after that. Stiles couldn’t begin to know what to say, and Derek was probably the same. But the Alpha soothed his calloused hands over him, rubbing at sore joints and tense muscles until Stiles could barely keep his eyes open.  

This was Derek’s way of comforting him, reassuring him that what had just happened was wanted. It made unwelcome feelings of affection well up in Stiles and he was powerless to push them away.

So he didn’t. He let them wash over him, letting the gust of Derek’s breath rush over his ear, and the hot press of the other’s hands lull him into a deep sleep.

He dreamt of wolves, gunshots, and Derek’s stupid rubber duck.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay okay, question time. This chapter left off in a very happy, while very ambiguous fashion. Truth be told, I cut out the other ending I had in mind because I wanted to leave you all feeling gooey before I left. 
> 
> That means I have about 1000 words all geared up and ready to be posted. Now, I can leave that for the next chapter (which I may very well do, I must plan). Or, I can reconsider and post it within the coming days in the middle of my vacation, as a sort of reprieve from the break. Do let me know! I may not decide to post it, but I still want your opinions. 
> 
> Moving on, that got super intense now didn't it! :D Hope you liked it! Have a wonderful week my dears, big hugs, and lots of candy.  
> See you next time! <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys!!! I know it's been a while and I apologize!! I got back from my vacation (which was great but also REALLY stressful) and college started back up. I am a junior this year so things have been busy right off the bat. 
> 
> But I will never drop a story without good reason, and you bet your fluffy asses I won't do it to this one. That being said, I normally reply to every comment but it's been so long, it would feel belated now. I'm sorry :( Just know I appreciate all of you and how you've stuck with me this long!
> 
> We have a few chapters left my ducks, so get excited! Thank you for your patience. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 15

* * *

 

The next morning, Stiles woke up pressed against a hard chest and encircled by warm arms. He was sore everywhere, his hips aching and his bones tired.

But he didn’t think he’d ever been more satisfied in his life. Derek was still asleep, his chest rising and falling in deep but slow breaths, air from his lungs fanning over Stiles’ hair.

The Omega had very few moments before his mind started to nag at him again. Was it a mistake, what happened last night? He didn’t know.

It didn’t feel like one, but Stiles still had to face the fact that the Hales were in a very grey area when it came to morals, and pretty deep into the black in regard to the law.

Next to him, Derek started to wake, scenting Stiles’ mounting distress. Stiles pushed back, looking up at the Alpha whose green eyes were settled on him.

“Still want to shoot me?” He asked, a smile in his eyes but Stiles hit him lightly in the chest.

“…I want you to explain it to me again.” Stiles murmured. “I know that discrimination was rampant in the past, and it makes sense why the Hales had to resort to hiding themselves. I can even try and understand why getting into criminal activity was necessary. But you said people with power were targeting weres. And that things were worse than I thought.”

Derek nodded along, eyes growing intense at the change in conversation.

“Tell me more. Who are they? How much worse is it?” Stiles finished, breathing out. He was trying hard to keep his mind open and his judgments quiet. He was giving Derek the opportunity to help him understand.

Derek sighed, eyebrows drawn down in frustration. “I can’t tell you.” He said, quickly stopping Stiles from protesting. “I’m not keeping this from you because I want to. You have a life in Oregon, a career in law enforcement, your father. The Hales may exist within the same areas, but at our core we do not operate by the government’s rules. I explained what I did because you found the guns, and you deserved to know the reasoning behind it. To tell you any more would put you in danger that I can’t keep you from.”

“Then don’t.” Stiles said, feeling a tight feeling in his chest. “Look…I don’t know what we are, if this thing between us is anything. But I’m saying that it would maybe not be such a bad thing if that was sort of a possibility.” What a way with words he had.

Derek’s eyes narrowed. “You want something with me?”

“I…I would like to try. I still have to filter through all of the Hale stuff, I really don’t know how to feel about it yet. I’m probably not even putting this in the best way but the only way I know how to explain it is…I want to keep seeing you. I definitely want more of last night. And, I want you to want the same thing.”

“I do.” Derek said but Stiles saw the hesitation from a mile away. The tightness got worse.

“But…?”

“It’s not what I want for you.”

“What do you mean?”

Derek took a deep breath. “Your life is waiting for you. Could you stomach being a detective while knowing what we do? Because it won’t stop here Stiles. I am what I am and that’s not something I think you want to endure. I don’t want to watch you try, only to regret even attempting.”

Stiles was shocked, head shaking in disbelief but unable to speak. Derek pressed on.

“I won’t apologize for last night. Had I been a better man, I may have called Deaton to sedate you. Ease the pain that way. But I didn’t, because last night you were mine. I wanted that. I still want that. You do as well right now. But when we are out of this forest, you’re not going to want to travel around where the FBI dispatches me, all the while knowing how I use my training in other ways. I don’t want to see you trying to force yourself into accepting us. I don’t want you to constantly lie so that you can be my mate.”

The words ‘my mate’ shot through Stiles, making his chest squeeze even further and the wetness in his throat dry up.

“Telling you any more than I already have will only cause more chaos in your life than I am willing to contribute to. And yes, my actions right now are selfish, but I don’t care. Keeping you safe and happy has always been my main priority.”

Derek started pulling out of bed and Stiles was too shocked to stop him, mind shaking with the Alpha’s words.

“You are free to do whatever you like. Take the gun. I will leave more weapons and supplies downstairs. I will arrange for someone to fill the fridge and pantries with whatever you need.” He said, all business as he walked to the door.

Stiles’ bottom lip was shivering, trying desperately to form a word but his brain wouldn’t supply one.

“Derek.” He managed to whisper out, body trembling with conflict as the Alpha got to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open.

He turned to face Stiles, eyes pained but face hard. “I wish I was a better man, but I’m not. However, I won’t be what stands in your way.”

The thump of the door closing rippled through him, making his breath freeze in his chest and mind shudder. Words continued to fail him, inside and out of his mind. Except for one.

 _Derek_.

~ ~ ~

Derek wasn’t wrong. That was the only reason Stiles let him go, because every other part of himself was screaming to get back to him.

His skin no longer felt like it was being pin pricked in every pore, but a much deeper ache was settling in. Stiles fell back into the bed, hands going to cover his eyes and breath shakily making its way out of his lungs.

The Alpha’s points were all sound, and Stiles hadn’t had enough time to work through them. He wasn’t the type to lie to himself, so he didn’t bother denying his feelings.

He wanted to be with Derek. But that didn’t mean anything when it came to everything the Hales did, and would continue to do.

Could Stiles be with Derek knowing all of that? Hell, he was technically still investigating them. And he had all the information to dispatch more units and get physical evidence.

Stiles could sink the incredibly resilient Hale ship, something he always wanted to do, and now he wanted no part in it.

He didn’t fully agree with them still, and he would always stand by the law in every other instance. But this wasn’t that.

Stiles didn’t want to be the one to hurt the Hales. He didn’t want to betray Derek. If that made him a bad detective, then he didn’t know how much longer he could do the job.

But even acknowledging that, could he really let them go, just like that? Could he cover up for them as everyone else had and lie to the industry that supplied him with a job?

He didn’t know. And that’s why Derek had left, because he knew that fact. Stiles could never be happy if he was constantly conflicted with himself.

But this feeling, like a cloud was wrapping itself around his chest and mind, was this better? The thoughts swirled in his mind with no solutions revealing themselves.

A headache pounded on Stiles’ mind and he focused on his breathing until he gave up, and let sleep take him.

~ ~ ~

**_We have our own cell towers so while you can’t get internet, calls will go through._ **

**_I trust you._ **

**_Be safe._ **

**_-D_ **

Stiles stared at the note with empty emotion, breathing silently. Next to the slip of paper sat a phone, charger, various knives, another handgun with several boxes of bullets, rope, a flashlight, a lighter, a small tool box, and a first aid kit.

The supplies were one thing, but to leave Stiles with a phone was something else. Derek either really did trust him, or he was a fool.

Stiles knew exactly who he was contacting first, so he picked it up, dialed a number in, and pressed call.

“Hello?” John said and Stiles exhaled in relief.

“Hi dad.”

“Stiles! Where are you? Are you okay?” He sounded frantic, but healthy. Stiles was just happy he was okay.

“I’m fine dad, sorry I couldn’t get ahold of you till now. I assume the Hales have kept you informed?”

“They told me about your place being hit, and they have two guards around me at all times, even at work. They said you were being hidden and couldn’t be reached. Talia won’t answer my calls and the country is going to shit. I want you home.”

Stiles sighed, thankful for the guards even if he imagined they pissed his dad off.

“Yeah, that’s about right. What’s going on out there?”

“There’s been attacks in every major city. And hunters are starting to resurface faster than any police department can arrest them. The weres have all gone into hiding, especially those affiliated with the Hales. No one knows what’s going on.”

Stiles felt shaken about that, his mind going back to what Derek had talked about. “Dad, I know this isn’t what you want to hear but I can’t go back home. I’m trying to figure some things out and-“

“No. You’re coming home. Things aren’t safe and the Hales are the last to be trusted.”

“They trust me. I can’t explain anything, I don’t even know that much. I just…I need some time. I will keep myself safe, you know that. And as for the Hales, just know that they aren’t hurting me okay? Please dad, I need to do this.” Stiles urged with his voice, needing his dad to understand.

John sighed long and hard over the phone. “You stay in contact with me okay? Don’t disappear like that again. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you.”

Stiles felt his chest clench. “I will, I promise. Stay safe. Love you dad.”

“I love you too.”

Stiles hung up the phone, knowing his dad was probably massively unsatisfied and even more unconvinced, but he was safe.

The next number he dialed was one he had made sure to memorize. When the female picked up the phone he felt a rush of anticipation run through him.

“Hello?” The forensic analyst sounded a bit weary, tired.

“Jessica? It’s Stiles.” There was a bang on the other line and the Beta gasped.

“Oh my god you’re okay. Thank god. I just, the sample, and everything else…” She trailed off, clearly flustered and Stiles felt his body tighten.

“I’m glad you’re okay too. From what I hear, things are getting crazy. But tell me…what about the sample? Did it register anything?”

“Stiles, I-I don’t know where you got that hair but…I ran it through the local database and found nothing. So I extended to the west coast and still nothing. I had to get into contact with other labs to get access to theirs. I finally found a match…”

“And?” Stiles found himself getting impatient. Who could it possibly be that she was acting this way?

“I finally had to run it through the FBI’s largest database, one that registers citizens, criminals, even government officials. The match was Robert Carter, assistant to our current Secretary of Defense. Where the hell did you get this?”

Stiles felt the air around him freeze, making his body feel numb and his head feel light. Before Derek’s explanation, this information would be concerning but mostly confusing.

_But eventually the corruption swelled, the people in power got into contact with hunters, contracting them to kill us._

Derek’s words swarmed his mind. He had refused to tell Stiles who exactly he was referring to, but Stiles had suspected more police, maybe some military personnel here and there. Not the fucking government.

There was no coincidence that such a specific and high level employee would be in backwoods Montana at the same time an attack was carried out on a pack.

“Stiles…?”

“Jessica, tell me about the attacks going on.” Stiles’ voice was monotone, his heart beating loudly in his hears.

“Oh-ah, well, I don’t know why but there’s a lot of shady information coming out about the Hales. And they went into hiding so no one really knows what to believe. Hunters are killing people left and right, so you’d think I’d be busy running DNA samples or something. But nothing. I’ve called around and it’s the same story with other departments around the country. The police aren’t really doing anything. It’s freaking me out.”

“I-uh, I have to go. Thanks Jessica, you really helped me. I’ll be safe, you too okay?”

There was a pause on the other end, like she wanted to ask more but knew better. “Alright. Good luck Stiles.”

They hung up and Stiles’ fingers shook while dialing again. He felt the world expanding around him, the floor falling out from under him.

He pressed the phone into his ear until he heard hard breathing on the other end.

“Chris?” He asked.

“Shit. Stiles where are you? No one’s heard from you for days.” He sounded out of breath.

“I’m alive. You need to tell me what the fuck is going on.”

“You need to tell me what you did with that fucking sample. They are onto them, those fuckers are finally getting outed.”

Stiles bit into his cheek, trying to maintain composure now that his loyalty was flying out the door.

“I hear that hunters are on the loose.”

“Yeah, when we got back I was assigned to another mission. We are safeguarding weres not affiliated with the Hales. More importantly, where did you take that sample? I know the Montana attack was staged but for all we know, the Hales are behind it.”

“Chris…they didn’t do it.” Stiles couldn’t believe what he was saying. “They…they’re not bad people.” He knew they had don’t bad things, illegal things, but they had their reasons.

Stiles had still been a little unconvinced, but if people in Washington D.C, that high up in the totem pole were after them, how could Stiles blame them?

He remembered the little cubs playing in the forest, remembered how the Claw pack had looked at Derek.

The Hales protected their kind against an enemy that had the power to turn society against them, precisely what they were doing now.

So yes, they did whatever they needed to do to survive. His feelings were still everywhere, his mind a mess and his body frozen to the ground.

Was he only saying these things because of how he felt about Derek? Was he deluded? Stiles believed in himself and his gut, both of which said no.

And while he still needed a lot of clarification, he couldn’t let Chris continue to think the Hales were this foe that needed to be destroyed.

“…What the fuck did they do to you?” He asked and Stiles sighed, but the door behind him opened and he whirled around.

Deaton walked in, looking agitated.

“I don’t have the time nor capacity to try and convince you right now. But as someone whose been through what you have, I ask that you don’t jump to the easiest conclusion. People look at you and think and lot of things because of your past, don’t be like them.”

With that Stiles hung up, cutting his last tie. Now he was floating between four worlds: the hunters, the corrupted government, the well-meaning law enforcement, and the Hales.

He no longer belonged to any of them, and he had no idea what to do.

“What do you know?” Deaton asked, clearly analyzing Stiles’ expression and the end of that phone call.

“Why didn’t Derek tell me? Why didn’t anyone mention that people in the fucking government were after you?” His hands flew up, mind blown open and splayed on the floor.

“Derek wants to protect you, and he’s bound everyone to silence. Talia even wanted you to know. Well, now that you know, what will you do?”

“I don’t know,” his hands covered his face. “What am I supposed to do? I-Derek left. If he doesn’t want me, then I can’t stay. But you guys need help, but you’re also criminals. I just-I don’t fucking know.”

He sighed, voice rising in frustration and desperation. “Why are you here?” Stiles asked the doctor who raised his arms up.

Hooked onto them were plastic bags filled with food.

“Derek’s orders. Though food isn’t your biggest problem, and that hot-headed fool won’t listen.”

“What do you mean?”

“Now that you and Derek have become intimate, your pair bond has formed a temporary seal. Which means you aren’t supposed to be separated. Touch starvation has very mild forms but you two are really pushing it. If it becomes severe enough it will be difficult to move and it may trigger an early heat. You don’t have a mate bond so it won’t kill you, but the symptoms are largely the same.”

“I really don’t want to know how you knew about that but regardless, he was the one who decided to leave. I…I wouldn’t have minded if he stayed.” Stiles pouted, feeling the ever present ache in his chest expand.

“Have you decided to take our side then?” The doctor’s eyes were critical. Stiles was silent, his eyes peering down at the floor. “I don’t think this situation was gone about in the right way, not even slightly, but how can you expect him to bind you to him when you have no resolve?”

“I can’t. I know that. That’s why I’m still here in this damn cabin. What else can I do? I’m still in the dark about things and even when I think I’ve gotten more answers, they only make me more confused.”

“Do you want to know the whole truth?” Deaton asked after a pause and Stiles laughed, no humor in his voice.

“Since the beginning, yes.”

“No, I don’t mean to satisfy a curiosity, or even to help you come to a decision. Because I don’t think you’ll like the truth, Derek certainly thought you wouldn’t. But as it is, it’s your right to know, and frankly I am getting tired of seeing things going downhill.”

“And you think telling me will fix anything?” Stiles waved his hand around. He didn’t know what truth could possibly exist that would help him feel less lost.

“I think that it’s possibly the only thing that can.”

Stiles didn’t know what to say to that, but if there was anything that could help him now, it was answers.

“Tell me about my mom. How does my family fit into the Hale’s past?”

Deaton nodded, walking over to place the bags on the table. “Your mom was-“

An explosion interrupted the doctor, causing the cabin to shake and his ears to wince. Deaton whipped around, looking alarmed. It wasn’t an expression Stiles was used to seeing on the man and it made apprehension crawl up his skin.

Quickly, Deaton grabbed something inside one of the bags, chucking it at Stiles who caught it. It was a shirt, Derek’s shirt.

“That’s to combat the touch starvation. Put it on, I had Derek soak it in his scent. Take the gun, food, and lock yourself upstairs.”

“Wait! What the hell is happening?” Stiles whipped around, hearing gunshots in the distance.

“Shit. I didn’t think they’d find us this fast.”

“Who?” Stiles insisted, getting in Deaton’s way as the man made to leave the cabin.

“Hunters, and probably military units.”

Stiles was taken aback. “Military? Why would they be here?” Deaton ran a hand over his head, eyebrows drawn downward.

“The media has been instructed to report on false stories, ones that connect the Hales to sex trafficking, drugs, murder of innocents. Things we’ve never done. But they did it once Talia made the call to go into hiding so despite the lack of evidence, we look extremely suspicious. The general public doesn’t know what to make of it but several of the main family now have warrants out for their arrest. We haven’t complied, gathering our own information, but it looks like we didn’t act fast enough. You need to stay here. Derek knows you’re here, he’ll be sending reinforcements but I need to go outside and defend the cabin.”

“Why?” Stiles was perplexed, voice raising in confusion. “Why are you going to risk your life staying here? I know Derek wants to protect me, but what has that got to do with you? We both need to leave, I’m not just staying here while you go outside to die.”

“I am vowed to protect you as well.”

“Why Deaton? That doesn’t make any sense, you have no loyalties to me.” The gunshots were all around them and Stiles felt his internal alarm system flip on.

“You’re my Alpha’s mate, the Head Omega heir, that is the only reason I need.” Deaton placed a hand on his shoulder, nodding with determination before turning and setting off outside.

Stiles was sucked out of reality. He, the Head Omega of the Hales? No. There was no way. He felt denial surge inside of himself, despite his instincts pushing back.

Derek hadn’t bit him, they weren’t sealed to each other. But Stiles knew how it worked. Mates recognized each other before a permanent bond was in place, they had to.

Stiles let the memories from the past several days wash over him. Derek _had_ known, he knew the whole damn time.

Stiles would have too if he hadn’t been so obsessed with convincing himself that the Hales were common criminals.

He has brushed his attraction off as simple compatibility. But no, it was more than that. Stiles had been struck the first time he saw Derek, and since then his body had been drawn to the Alpha, wanting him at all times, even during his heat.

And then things started falling together. The Hale pack hadn’t only been kind, they accommodated him whenever and wherever needed.

Now that he thought about it, the group he had stumbled upon with the cubs could have easily turned him away.

Hell, they fed him. That didn’t make any sense when you took into consideration that he was a stranger, a human outsider.

But if he was the Omega-mate, then watching over him only made sense. The Hales were a crime family, and yet they let him into their home and stitched him up when he crashed his four-wheeler.

Why not call a doctor? Stiles had thought it was the scent enhancing pill but no. Derek had scented him as his mate.

Werewolves were capable of that because of their senses and while Stiles should have known, being lost to the world when he first smelled Derek, he hadn’t connected the dots.

He’d never been attracted to anyone like that before. Everyone else was plain, and his sad amount of sexual encounters had happened because he was bored, not because he actually wanted them.

The only thing that had kept him from acknowledging the truth was his confidence that they needed to be charged for their crimes.

Fuck.

“STILES UPSTAIRS NOW.” Someone yelled inside and Stiles turned to see Scott, wild-eyed, at the door. Stiles acted on instruction alone, clutching Derek’s shirt to his chest, snatching the gun and bullets from the table and sprinting upstairs.

He thought his mind was a mess before, but this was on a whole new level. Stiles had planned to think about the Hale family and if he could stomach being with Derek.

But did he really have a choice? Did he want one? Was there a difference? Stiles refused to run on biology alone but was he doing that?

No. His feelings for Derek were more than that. The Alpha was painfully loyal, protective, intelligent, determined, and accomplished.

So many things Stiles would look for in a mate, things he also saw in himself. And he wanted to know more. He wanted to learn about Derek without the intention of arresting him at the end of it all.

But with the sound of howls, flying bullets, and last breaths, Stiles wondered if it was too late. At the very least, he would do everything he could to make sure it wasn’t.

So, he quickly discarded his own shirt, pulling Derek’s on, and getting to work. The scent momentarily made him rock on his feet and he took a few seconds to let it comfort him.

Knowing he had that scent inside of him made a shiver tingle through his body. Stiles quickly let go of the thought, needing to focus. He grabbed the bullets, loading them into the magazines which he lined up on the floor by the window.

Stiles loaded the gun, cocked it, and prepared himself. In one smooth motion, he unlocked the window and opened it, lifting him arms and aiming.

Then, he shot. The hunters and military personal were easy to spot, dressed in either militia style clothing or classic camouflage uniforms.

Stiles only shot the hunters, unable to bring himself to shoot soldiers who were simply acting on orders, no matter how wrong the reasons for those orders were.

Werewolves charged them, ripping into human flesh while others were armed with guns. Stiles picked the hunters off, preventing them from hurting the weres.

But it didn’t take long for everyone to look up, tracking the bullets and spotting him. The wolves howled, eyes widening upon realizing who he was.

One howl broke through the rest and Stiles’ body got hot, his inner Omega perking up with renewed restlessness.

Derek emerged from the ticket of dense trees, entering Stiles’ field of vision who was struck at the sight of him.

The Alpha was not in his wolf form, but in a sort of half-shift. Unlike a Beta’s, his was frame was larger, his bulk more pronounced.

Coarse hair grew from his jaws and neck. Derek’s claws were sharply pointed from his nails, blooding coating the tips.

But his hands were wrapped around a semi-automatic, bullets shooting from the barrel and into the heads of the attackers.

Stiles had seen Derek in many different situations, including ones that showcased his fighting capability, his training.

However, this was something few people probably ever got to see. The threat that he posed was palpable, and in seconds, enemies were on him. They came at him, guns and knives drawn.

Derek shot with merciless precision, clawing anyone who came close enough, all while never loosing focus or balance.

Wolves in various stages of transformation poured out from behind him: reinforcements. Stiles did what he could to shoot those at further distances but it was hard not keeping his eyes on Derek.

Only when most of the hunters and soldiers were down did Derek look up. Their eyes met and Stiles felt the gnawing ache inside of his chest.

The only way he knew how to express what he wanted, how he felt, was to flash his eyes. So he did, the gold lighting up brighter than they ever had to match the crimson staring back at him.

And just like the moment they first met, time slowed down. Stiles felt that familiar pull he’d been trying to ignore, and he knew Derek did too.

A bullet flying into Derek’s back pulled both of them from their world, making Derek stumble and Stiles scream.

The sound wasn’t something he’d ever heard out of his mouth. It was loud, hoarse, and broke off into a silent cry.

More bullets began raining down, coming from behind in a surprise ambush. The pack, aware that their Alpha had been hurt, turned more feral, their aggressiveness at the forefront of their minds.

Stiles watched as Derek growled, clearly in pain. He fell to one knee, giving Stiles one last look before turning around and firing off his own gun once more.

The wound was spilling blood and Stiles realized that it wasn’t healing. It had been a wolfsbane bullet. If the Alpha didn’t get it treated soon, it would spread, and kill him.

Stiles gripped the gun tightly in his hands, feeling a helpless rage overtake him. Derek needed help now, but he couldn’t with more people approaching.

So Stiles stared out, searching for the group. His eyes strained, catching onto the moving camouflage, and he felt his blood boil. Whether soldier or hunter, Stiles didn’t care, he just started shooting.

He had a large advantage. From where he was, they wouldn’t be able to see him well through the trees, much less shoot him.

Stiles became relentless, shooting anyone who aimed for the Alpha. Derek’s legs were being attacked by the poison, but he didn’t go down, still fighting with wild energy.

“THEY’RE INSIDE!” Someone yelled, it was Scott. Suddenly Stiles could hear a waterfall of loud footsteps coming from downstairs, followed by growls and more gunshots.

Derek’s head snapped to him, their eyes connecting again. Stiles could hear them searching the house and he felt himself tense. Derek seemed to snap out of it, legs pushing forward to charge inside but his ankles buckled, the wolfsbane preventing him from going anywhere.

He looked at Stiles again, real panic settling in his irises. Especially as the ambush group surged forward, the wolves surrounded.

Off in the distance was the viscous sounds of wolves fighting off humans, gunshots ringing in the air. Stiles flashed his eyes one last time, watching as Derek’s did the same.

He didn’t have much time, the footsteps running up the stairs. Stiles didn’t know what was going to happen, but he couldn’t just stand there.

So he ran to the end table, yanking the drawer open and finding an old crumpled up receipt. Perfect. With his nail, Stiles scratched into the paper, watching it turn grey where he dragged, as receipts do.

**Hair sample = Robert Carter**

**Jessica Landon in BH has it**

**Say you’re my mate, she will give it to you**

**I’m sorry**

**-Stiles**

He wrote as fast and clear as possible, his chest pumping hard as the blood in his ears thickened. He shoved the receipt underneath the bed where he lost his virginity.

Derek would find it. He had to. He stood up just as the door burst open and Stiles lifted his gun. He fought, harder and with more anger than he ever had in his life.

Even after his gun ran out of bullets, and he was unable to dive for more, he fought. Despite the small pile of bodies that he managed to leave on the floor, no one tried to kill him.

He didn’t want to think about why, but it didn’t exactly matter and this point in time. But once more than ten of them entered, no matter how hard he kicked, punched, and blocked, he wasn’t going to win.

Stiles’ arms were grabbed tight, pulled behind his back, as someone approached him. Alexander Argent stepped forward, a bloody upper lip curved into a sinister grin. The last Stiles remembered, Alexander had been in the Hale’s custody, he should be dead by now.

He had to have gotten rescued by someone, after the attack on Beacon Hills, Stiles’ doubted people were very concerned with him, especially considering how mentally gone he seemed to be.

The man lifted his arm above Stiles’ head, and the Omega knew what was coming. So he let the animal part of him take over, letting out a final call.

Stiles didn’t even know he was capable of it, but all mated Omegas were. It was a vocal signal to their Alphas. Stiles didn’t exactly know why he did it, or what good it would do.

But seeing as he didn’t know what was about to happen, he needed Derek to know that he understood. That he accepted him as his mate, as his Alpha.

He hoped the wolf heard him before Alexander’s hand came down on the back of his neck and Stiles went out like a light.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of answers and yet more questions, when will everything be solved?!?! I hoped you all liked this chapter, and I hope it blew your minds a little bit. Things are obviously a bit bigger than anyone, especially Stiles, expected! 
> 
> I won't be able to update as frequently but it shouldn't take me two weeks this time. So stay with me! Things are getting crazy! 
> 
> <3 Have a great weekend everyone!
> 
> P.S, Sorry for the cliffhanger. Only a little bit though, you know I love that shit. ;)


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School is fun. School is good. School is slowly killing my soul.  
> But it isn't going to kill this story dammit! We have a big reveal here kids! So get excited! :D I hope you're doing great! And IT comes out tomorrow/tonight so I am having quite the happy Friday. I hope this chapter feeds your soul. (It's full of angst so maybe not but stick with me!) 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 16

* * *

 **Stiles' POV**  

He’d been drugged, that was obvious. Stiles knew the difference between simply waking up, and dragging your consciousness through mud to get each of your senses back.

On top of that, the ache in his chest he now associated with Derek was burning, insistent and painful. Touch starvation. It was probably in its mildest form right now, but Stiles knew that his situation was well and truly fucked, no matter what he did.

It was probably a simple sedative that he was given, because once he fought through the fogginess of his mind enough to open his eyes, he could still function normally.

The blurriness of his vision began to fade, his gaze falling on an old tv and VCR player that sat on a rolling table. This was some _Saw_ shit, and he really didn’t like it.

Stiles looked around the room, fighting the urge to groan. He was inside of no-window room again, strapped to a chair by his wrists and ankles.

The room itself was old, with chipping wallpaper and stale air. Stiles wondered where they had taken him, how long he’d been unconscious, and if everyone was okay.

He didn’t know why, but he thought Derek was alive, he had to be. Stiles knew that could just be denial, but he doubted that.

He could still _feel_ Derek, if that made any sense. Stiles didn’t think he could be feeling touch starved if his mate was dead.

It was a small comfort, considering everything else, but Stiles would take it. The TV suddenly snapped on, turning to a static station that was too loud.

Stiles winced back in the chair, feeling a slowness to his limbs, probably from the drug. The station changed, and the VCR player clicked on with a green light.

He could hear the tape inside of it slide into position, the screen turning blue as it connected. Stiles watched as the screen switched, someone, somewhere having pressed play.

A home video flashed on the screen, the recording timer in the corner. Stiles was immediately confused, but watched intently as the camera turned to face a baby on the floor.

The child was female, maybe six months, with a white onesie and red bow on her head. She laid on a big cushion, propped up and fidgeting.

“Hey baby girl! How are you doing?” A male cooed at her and she smiled brightly, letting out happy little sounds.

The screen switched, now showing a brunette toddler hobble about, playing with a baby doll. She suddenly turned to look at the camera holder, a happy grin coming to her face as she made an excited shout, running toward them.

The next clip was of the same girl, maybe five, walking hand in hand with another adult, their backs turned toward the camera.

They both wore traditional camouflage, a gun slung over the back of the male. When the next image came, Stiles felt sick.

The camera was once again behind the pair, showing the male shoot a bullet into a wolf. The little girl jumped up excitedly, cheering happily.

She turned to say something to the male but it switched before Stiles could hear anything.  This time the girl was a middle-schooler, the brown hair tied back in a tight pony.

She was being filmed from afar, shooting a rifle at a make-shift gun range. Stiles couldn’t see her profile very well but there was something familiar about her.

The next clip was smoky, the girl nowhere in sight. Instead, the camera angle was a little lower, as if strapped to the body instead of held.

Gunshots started firing, fire burning in the distance. Suddenly, a dark silhouette crashed from behind a wall, falling to the floor.

Stiles realized it was a werewolf, an Alpha. And below it on the floor was the girl, her gun pinned between them.

Stiles could barely see her arms and splayed out hair from underneath the furry body. The cameraman made no move to help. It was as if he was simply watching, waiting.

The girl reached down, pulling a knife from her side that was soaked in a purple fluid, wolfsbane, before stabbing it into the wolf on top of her.

Stiles watched in horror as the clearly young hunter girl slashed into the were, her arm strong as it plunged the knife deep.

One strike to the spine and the poison made its way to the brain, causing the Alpha to become paralyzed and roll over.

The girl, a bloody mess, stood to her feet, huffing and rubbing at her brow. After she stood up, the Alpha at her feet taking its last breath, she turned to look at the camera.

Stiles stared into the red blotted and youthful face of Claudia Stilinski. He felt his chests seize up, watching the teenage version of his mother grin into the camera.

She lifted her hand into a thumbs up, looking accomplished and Stiles felt his breathing get fast and heavy.

After that, still pictures of Claudia posing next to dead weres began popping up. With each one, Stiles felt his lungs pumping harder and harder as he lost control of his breath.

She was a young teen in all of them, but it was her. That’s why she knew how to shoot so well. Stiles’ vision blurred, bile swirling in his stomach as the floor felt like it was disappearing beneath him.

He fell into the panic attack, his voice twitching with attempts to pull himself out. But it was no use.

His mother had been a hunter.

~ ~ ~

**Derek's POV**

Derek had lost all control of himself. He stood, staring off into the forest, blood dripping from his fur and his eyes glowing with rage.

When Stiles had been taken, his mind went black. He transformed into his full Alpha shift, and killed every enemy within the vicinity.

But the onslaught never stopped, and by the time he had depleted their numbers, Stiles had been taken. Derek had tracked his scent as far as he could, but they’d used jeeps to trek into the forest, and with the scent of blood and hunters mingling within the ground, his mate’s scent was gone.

The Alpha lifted up his head and howled, screaming out his pain. He ran for miles, desperate. Until the poison in his blood stopped him from moving any further.

He refused to lay down, body shaking from the effort as the wolfsbane spread. It hadn’t been a lethal dose, and being an Alpha meant his body could burn it off given a few days. That didn’t make it any less painful, however. But he couldn’t risk missing any signs, something that would help him find Stiles.

This was why he had kept their true relationship hidden, and why the decision to come clean about his family’s background had been so easy.

Stiles needed to stay away from them, from this.

A howl came from far behind him, but he knew it was his mother. The sound was panicked, and a deep sense of shame came over him.

He’d let his mate get taken from him. Again. Talia ran up beside him, whimpering as she scented his pain. But she quickly stared off into the distance, lips peeling back and a sickening growl rumbling from her throat.

His mom looked at him, her eyes ablaze and an inner determination flashing through. Derek lifted his head and howled, this time a call to his pack.

Talia was soon to join and one by one, each Hale joined in until the forest was awash with sound. He felt a much darker part of himself step forward, the part he had kept in check while Stiles was with them.

They’d attacked his family, socially crippling them, and they’d taken his mate. He would kill anyone who tried to take his revenge from him.

~ ~ ~

**Stiles' POV**

Stiles doesn’t remember how long the panic attack lasted, but he knew he wasn’t able to pull himself from it. Anxiety could only last so long, so while it felt like he was suffocating, it eventually stopped.

But that left him hyperventilating, sunken into his seat, with sweat pouring down his skin and seeping into the shirt Derek had lent him.

Stiles took deep breaths, his Alpha’s scent filling his lungs and helping him calm down. His mind was really starting to fray.

He’d barley gotten over his confliction with Derek being his mate. And now he discovered his mom was a fucking hunter. Yet things still didn’t add up.

“Are you coherent now?” A voice spoke from behind him and he gasped, jolting in his seat and pulling desperately at the restraints.

The voice was familiar, and it only took him a few seconds to place it as Alexander Argent stepped out in front of him, eyes carrying a wild tint.

The bastard must have been behind him the whole time. “What do you want?” His voice was cold but it came out as a quiet wheeze.

“I hate to waste time Stiles, so I’ll get to the point.” He said, leaning against the stand that carried the TV and eyeing him. “You look very similar to Claudia, thought I guess that makes sense. I’m afraid _she_ was adopted.”

“How do you know her?” Stiles said, still sounding croaky but feeling a burning anger start to form in his belly.

“She was my daughter.” He snickered and Stiles shook his head in disbelief. “Gerald, despite being younger, was favored by our parents. So, when his wife got pregnant with Chris, and was praised by everyone, something had to be done. Claudia was a sad, shivering, little mess. She’d been at a low funded orphanage, neglected, with no attachments. Perfectly suited to be absorbed into the hunter life.”

Alexander gestured to the TV screen. “And as you could see, she was remarkedly talented, more so than Chris or his sister Kate ever were.”

“But she didn’t hate werewolves, she used to tell me they were just like us. She was friends with the Hales.” Stiles argued. He knew the woman in the video was his mom, but the discrepancies were hard to cope with.

“When Chris and Kate ran away to Beacon Hills, we sent Claudia to watch them, in hopes of bringing them back or killing them if necessary. Then she met your shithead of a father.” Stiles hissed at him but he merely looked bored, if a bit manic.

“John Stilinski was another puppet for the Hales, though I doubt he knew of their illegal activities. Either way, he’d protected them from us for a long time. Claudia, while a hunter, was not violent by nature. So, John was able to brainwash her quite efficiently. By the time we got wind of their relationship, she’d already met the Hales and fell further onto their side. Did Chris ever tell you what happened to Kate?”

Stiles listened intently, still very disturbed but this was vitally important. “Only that they ran away.”

“She was a malicious one. I suspect her leaving the hunters was more about her jealousy of Claudia than of any real distain for what we do. Regardless, she discovered Claudia’s love affair, and saw it as an opportunity back with the hunters. Kate was the one who told us what was going on. We gave her orders to spy on Claudia and the Hales, killing her at the first opportunity. Of course, what Kate discovered was far more interesting than we could have expected. So, we called off her orders, and assigned new ones.”

Stiles waited for him to continue but the man kept silent, a small smile playing on his lips and his eyes is a weird stare.

“You’re not going to tell me the rest, are you?” Stiles sighed, feeling defeat pull on his mind but he fought it back.

“Where’s the fun in that? You’ve only just realized your mother’s real past, I think that’s enough for now.”

Stiles didn’t react, not having the energy for exasperation and lacking the will for sarcasm.

“So, what’s next then?” That was as good a question as any.

“Derek will come for you as I suspect many of the Hales will emerge from their hiding places around the continent so they can address the rumors we have orchestrated. So you stay put. You are legally my grandson after all, so I won’t kill you yet. But do remember you hold very little value as an individual. Don’t act up.”

Alexander finshed, walking past him and whipping his arm out so his fist landed right on the back of Stiles’ neck.

And just like that, he was out again.

~ ~ ~

**Derek's POV**

Derek finished placing the last of his weapons on his body. They were mostly knives of various sized blades.

He had two guns, but carried several ready to load magazines filled with hollow-point bullets. They would explode on impact, shooting shrapnel throughout the victim’s body.

In front of him stood Erica, Boyd, Jackson, Lydia, Scott, and Peter. Everyone wore tactical gear, weapons hidden in every place they could. This was his team, made up of his closest friends.

Despite their day jobs, they were all combat trained, all with different specialties. Boyd was best at hand to hand, Erica preferred daggers, Scott was a great shot, Jackson liked short range mealy weapons like batons, Lydia was talented with throwing knives and a shotgun, and Peter had his own guns along with a bludgeoning hammer.

Considering it was his actual job, Derek could use any and all of them. The fact that he had extensive experience using them as Alpha heir to the Hales meant he could wield them all with great skill. So he carried a little bit of everything.

His mom was dealing with the public backlash, getting into contact with everyone the Hales knew that could help. She would focus on that, while he found his mate and attempted to take some of the heads of the hunting organization out.

“We took several hunters as hostages, some of whom have given us information. One of the main headquarters is allegedly in Arizona, where we will have very little cover in terms of trees. It’s an intentional move. We’ll be relying on our training to find Stiles. He is your Omega-mate, I expect the best from you.”

Derek said, his voice dark and eyes black. Everyone in the room flashed their eyes at him in compliance. They all began filing out of the room, and Derek turned to follow when his mother turned the corner.

Her hair was in a tightly slicked back pony tail, with a red top and dark jeans. She looked ready for the public eye just as much as she was prepared for a fight. His mother in a nut shell.

“You find him, okay? And make those bastards pay.” Talia’s eyes were hard, but bitten back emotion swirled behind them.  

Derek nodded sharply, feeling the ache in his chest expand outward. He needed to find Stiles not just because he wanted to, but their bodies would give out if he didn’t.

They hadn’t sealed their bond, so any prolonged separation would be damaging. Talia reached out, cupping his cheek like she did when he was young.

Derek leaned down, wrapping her in his arms in a bitter goodbye. “Be safe,” he uttered into her hair and she nodded, pulling away and smiling brightly.

They would both protect their family, their pack.

~ ~ ~

**Stiles' POV**

Being unconscious so often was screwing with Stiles’ sense of time. He didn’t know how long he’d been in the room, but going from the pretty hefty burn in his chest, it had to have been a few days.

Next to him stood an IV drip, connected to his arm, probably keeping him alive. They’d let him go to the bathroom only a few times in between his mini-commas.

So far, Stiles knew of only the room, small hallway, and bathroom, none of which had anything that screamed useful.

He was accompanied always, with a guard who was always out of sight, but very much there. Stiles could do nothing but sit and slowly go insane.

Alexander hadn’t shown his face again, and Stiles was starting to worry they’d kill him before he even got the chance to escape.

They were waiting for Derek though, which meant they wouldn’t make it too hard to be found. But Stiles didn’t want to wait to be rescued, especially when that might entail Derek getting killed.

So, any moment he was awake, he thought. He scanned every inch of wall he could, but nothing came to mind. Being strapped down made it all the worse.

Any conceivable plan was made impossible by his physical incapability to even stand up. A loud bang on the door behind him startled Stiles, shaking him from his stupor.

The door swung open, creaky and old. “Stiles!” A high-spirited female voice drifted in. “My my, how you’ve grown.”

Two hands slid over his shoulders and onto his chest. Stiles fought back the urge to gag as the scent of Alpha wafted into his nose.

The burning in his chest pushed out into his skin, making him tense and hiss in pain. The female made a choke of disgust.

“He marked you huh? I’m surprised, he seemed so intent on protecting you. Well, not that any of that matters anymore.” She sounded satisfied, finally leaning off Stiles and slowly walking around so he could see her.

A woman with highlighted blond hair stepped out, she had a long face with small features. Her eyes had a spark of the same thing Alexander’s had, something not right.

“Do you know who I am?” The female asked but Stiles stayed silent, not playing into her game. “I guess it’s been too long. I haven’t been in Beacon Hills for quite a while.” She snickered. “My name is Kate Argent.”

“You killed my mom?” Stiles said, hollow-voiced.

“Me? No. Though I would have liked to. Her death was more…ironic.”

“She didn’t die of dementia, she couldn’t have.” Stiles was rambling to himself. He didn’t have much of a reaction to the women being Kate.

After finding out about his mom, he didn’t think anything could shock him. This was probably shock, something that he should fight off, but his motivation was all but gone. He just wanted to know what happened after Kate had caught Claudia with John. How did his mom really die?

A fist slammed into his jaw, rocking him back on the old chair. Pain exploded up to his ear and down through his teeth. Stiles shook his head, groaning and looking up at Kate.

He could already feel the lower part of his eye swelling. “Bitch.” He slurred and she laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

“Don’t ignore me next time.”

“Why are you here?”

“Boredom, mostly. Waiting for your wolf dick takes time,” Stiles spit on her boots, feeling anger pin prick over him.

Instead of a fist, Stiles got a hand to the throat, the tendons squeezing around his breathing pipe so he wasn’t even able to choke.

He lifted his eyes to stare at the Alpha, who looked half-crazed, barley standing on the edge.

“You’re nothing but an Omega whore for dogs, and you want to spit on me?” Her voice lifted and Stiles grit his teeth.

It was her fault the hunters found out about his mom. She may not have been the one to do it, but Stiles knew she was the root of Claudia’s death.

Stiles felt saliva feel his mouth, and he spit on Kate’s face, eyes flashing in aggression. He was expecting the hands to get tighter. He didn’t expect the knife.

Kate reached back with one hand, grabbing a dagger at her hip before raising it high. Stiles didn’t have time to react before the blade cut through the buckles on his wrists.

She leaned down, other hand still firmly on his neck, and slashed the other two on his ankles. Then Kate yanked him from the chair.

Lack of blood circulation, constant exhaustion, and no food meant Stiles’ knees buckled under him, but Kate wasn’t having that.

She dragged him around the chair, the IV ripping from his arm so that blood splattered all over the floor. Stiles felt his head get light in seconds and all he could do was kick out as he pulled him out of the room.

Stiles dimly noticed the guard standing back, not attempting to stop her. Kate pulled him into the bathroom, throwing him onto the floor.

Her breathing was heavy, as if the mere sight of him was fueling her anger.  But now that Stiles was free, which had been step one in his very short plan, he could fight.

So groggy or not, Stiles bolted to his feet, pushing his knee into the ground to propel him toward the toilet.

His body slammed into it, his hands gripping the tank cover, and swinging it hard. The porcelain slammed against the side of Kate’s head with a dull thud, the sound not matching the sudden splitting of skin and gush of blood that followed.

One hit and she was out. Stiles didn’t have time to make sure she was dead so he settled for grabbing her gun and dagger, leaving the room afterward.

The guard was after him and Stiles didn’t hesitate to pull the knife out, charging the man. He wasn’t expecting Stiles to be armed, so the Omega was able to get a good slash in, cutting into the guy’s chest.

Stiles’ arm was still bleeding, and if he didn’t do something about it soon, his fight would be for nothing. So, with blind abandon, he attacked.

He couldn’t use the gun, he was making too much noise as it was and if this compound they had him in was large, we wouldn’t get out easily.

The man was big and burly, strong but slow. Stiles dodged him easily. He must have been poorly trained, probably because Stiles had been bound. Either way, luck was finally on Stiles’ side.

Just as the guard went to grab his own gun, Stiles whipped his arm out, cutting the man’s wrist before turning the knife in his palm and sinking into the other’s neck.

With a sharp pull, one that made his muscles scream in protest, Stiles pulled the blade out. Blood was everywhere, and the guard fell right into a puddle of it.

Stiles didn’t have time. He grabbed the edge of Derek’s shirt, using the knife to cut off a decent strip. He quickly wound it around his elbow, stopping the gushing and tying it tightly.

Then he started stumbling, keeping the gun in his waist band and the knife drawn close. His other hand was pressed against the wall, keeping him up.

The adrenaline running through him was the only thing pushing him on. His head felt like a spray paint can, his skin and muscles burning like they were held under a torch.

At the end of the hallway was a single door. Stiles pulled the gun out, ready for anything as he opened it.

“Anything” did not man this. In a dark and murky room sat rows of hospital beds. Strapped onto them were weres in various states of their shift.

All of them were unconscious, needles and tubes sticking out of them. Some had machines strapped to their heads, digging into their skulls.

Stiles felt the air rush out of him in a shaky exhale. They were experimenting on them. Where the hell were they and what was he supposed to do?

Stiles shut his eyes, squeezing them tight against the horror before him.

 _Derek_ , _hurry._

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BITCH SAY WHAT?!?!?!? Thoughts????? Feelings???? Emotions????? What do you think happened? What do you think WILL happen? Let me know sweet pies.  
> And I'll see you next time! <3


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *peaks over stacks of homework* Don't hate meeeee. Actually, I appreciate your patience! Immensely!! I don't have much to say other than I love y'all, and thank you!
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 17

* * *

 

**Derek’s POV**

Derek dragged the body by the neck, throwing the hunter into the wall in front of him. Gunshots ringed by his head, destroying his sensitive ear drums which healed in seconds, only to be damaged again. He barely noticed.

Blood was streaked over his skin, belonging to the other hunters who had been holed up inside the abandoned building they were currently inside of.

Their kind had a very specific scent, mostly due to their hatred for weres, that couldn’t be masked. But because it was emotionally based, it wasn’t particularly strong.

So once Derek and the others arrived in Arizona, they used their contacts which took them to a small town in the middle of the desert, and they started tracking.

The towns people were probably hunter sympathizers, so they were careful not to be spotted. Eventually they found this house and with silencers on their guns, they began their attack.

Derek made sure to find their leader, the man who now laid on the floor in front of him, leaving the others to secure the house.

“Where is your main compound?” Derek’s voice was like ice, hollow and chilling. The hunter scowled, lifting up a hand to throw him a middle finger.

The Alpha lowered down, squatting. He reached out, grabbed the hunters hand, and crushed the bones with his grip.

The man howled in pain, kicking out in an effort to get away but Derek’s strength was like steel. “Tell me.”

The hunter spit, and Derek dodged the saliva. He sighed, feeling irritation burn red in his eyes. He turned his hand, contorting the man’s wrist until it snapped.

He screamed, mouth agape and eyes panicked. “I-I don’t know!” He shouted and Derek twisted the limb further.

“I’m low ranking, I know nothing!” His voice was hoarse, his brown hair plastered to his reddening face with sweat.

Derek stood a bit, dragging the arm with him so that the hunter was almost pressed against his thighs. He lifted a foot up, and brought it down on the man’s ankle.

The bones crackled, searing into each other and splintering into the surrounding muscle and skin. He gargled, until noise ceased to come out with how much pain he was in.

“I can and will continue this for as long as needed. They wouldn’t have you stationed so close to a main compound if you were unaware. Now, speak.”

“It’s underground!”

“Where?” Derek asked, silence was his reply so he twisted his foot, grinding the broken bones underneath.

“I-Inside a mesa! East!” He screamed.

“How will I know which mesa? Cameras, guards, tell me everything.”

“I’ve never been there,” he wheezed, “b-but they have it wired. They even have mines surrounding the place. I don’t know what’s inside.” The hunter was panting, his heart a drum in Derek’s ears.

But more than that, Derek heard the telltale sound in his voice that meant he was done, that’s all he knew. The Alpha had become trained to hear it over the years.

Behind him he heard footsteps. “Alpha, threats neutralized. We are ready to go when you are.” Lydia said.

Derek lifted his gun up, seeing the horror on the hunter’s face as he put a bullet through it. People like him were the reason his kind were killed, why his mate was not with him.

He needed to find Stiles soon. The fact that his skin was growing increasingly hot and painful was a physical time clock. Stiles, as an Omega, would be feeling even worse. It would trigger his heat if Derek didn’t hurry.

He turned on his heel, and began to walk out.

“Let’s go.”

~ ~ ~

**Stiles’ POV**

Stiles was panting, close to hyper-ventilating at the sight in front of him. The smell was worse, rotting flesh on living bodies.

Their eyes were either closed or hauntingly open, pale, as if they had cataracts.

 _You need to move_ , his inner voice insisted and Stiles started running, urgency motivating him. He rushed up to one of the beds, the female was half shifted.

She had no legs, her skin covered in an unnatural rash, and tubes running into her body. Stiles didn’t try to wake her, knowing it was no use.

But his eyes caught onto one of the tubes, seeing the vibrant purple fluid. Black flakes floated inside of it and Stiles knew it was wolfsbane, mixed with something else to keep them in their comma like state.

He scanned the other bodies, finding the thick tubes in all of them. So, he started tracking them, following the lines until he found giant tanks of the concoction.

Stiles didn’t know what he was doing. He didn’t know where he was, surrounded by who knows how many hunters, on the verge of touch starvation, and yet he wasn’t running.

But he couldn’t leave them, not like this. Stiles didn’t even know if they would be okay, but if he ran now, he would never forgive himself.

Stiles grabbed onto the crank, turning it until the flow of liquid stopped. He made quick work of all of the tanks, watching as the woldsbane stopped and the tubes went dry.

The room was silent, Stiles waiting for something, anything, to happen. When the opposite door opened, the Omega ducked down behind one of the beds.

Alexander and a female in a lab coat stepped through, eyes darting around. Stiles inwardly cursed. He didn’t regret trying to help the weres but he may have just lost the only opportunity he had.

It didn’t take long for the two to realize something wasn’t right. The female’s eyes went wide, her head jerking around to the tanks.

“The wolfsbane isn’t flowing through.” Her voice sounded frozen and Alexander’s brows drew down.

“Quickly.” He said, keeping quiet and Stiles wondered why. Slowly, with as much urgency as they could, they went for the tanks.

Out of the corner of his eye, Stiles saw a hand twitch. More and more, the mutilated bodies on the table were jerking unnaturally.

 _Here goes nothing_ , Stiles thought, right before he screamed. He figured if they were trying to be quiet, it was for a pretty damn good reason. And Stiles was going to fuck that up.

Alexander’s eyes darted towards him, flashing blue with anger as he started pounding toward him. Bu a hand shot out, wrapping around his arm before crushing it.

The Beta shouted out in pain, the were on the table next to him gurgling as it held onto the hunter. Stiles stood up and backed away, watching as the weres animated back to life.

But they weren’t normal. Their eyes glowed, not with the color of their sex, but a morbid purple. It made Stiles’ spine squirm.

The female screamed as one of the weres clawed out to her, falling off the bed in the process.

“Call for reinforcements now!” Alexander shouted, pulling a gun out and shooting the wolf who held onto him in the head.

She tried to run, but the Frankenstein-esque wolves didn’t let her, one of them jerking up and over before pushing off its bed and tackling her.

Its jaw bit through her throat, decapitating her in seconds with a sick crunch. Alexander started shooting, and Stiles got to the ground again, just as everything went to shit.

The weres were feral, deformed and enraged. Even with some of their limbs missing, or their faces misshapen, they were all facing Alexander, ready to kill.

Saliva and foam dripped from their mouths, their claws twisted but sharp. Alexander shot out, and they all went for him.

Stiles didn’t know if any consciousness was left in them, but it was clear that they wanted revenge. He was a human, he needed to get out of there now.

Luckily, none had noticed him and in the frenzy, Stiles made it to the door. He opened it, and ran. He wasn’t surprised when someone came after him.

He looked over his shoulder to find the same female were he had first walked up to. She was gargling, fangs covered in blood as she bit down into her own lip.

She was crawling after him, her amputated legs flailing uselessly behind her. Stiles felt panic burst through him, the disturbing image of what was going on behind him making fear lick into his mind.

He fought it back, clutching the knife to his chest and pulling out the gun from his pants. Making noise didn’t seem to matter anymore.

Stiles heard footsteps and shouting coming from both in front, and behind him. He was in another hallway, completely stuck.

He raised the gun, running as fast as possible. The first hunter appeared, running down a set of stairs and Stiles shot, planting the bullet in the man’s forehead.

A female hunter followed, ready to shoot Stiles but whatever was behind him must have scared the shit out of her because she went white, a piercing scream rippling against the walls.

“Retreat!” She yelled, pushing the people behind her back. Stiles sprinted headlong for the stairs, hearing the roars behind him get closer.

This time, he didn’t look back, stumbling onto the steps and pushing his thighs harder than he ever had. The sounds were so distorted and angry, they made his stomach churn.

How long were they tortured to make them like that? Stiles felt his hatred for hunters burn anew. And if they were in alliance with the government, Stiles would curse them too.

He remembered having this idea of the people in blue, police officers fighting for the people, were and human alike.

Reality was harsh, but Stiles was no stranger to that. But he had kept his ideals of law enforcement, his perception of criminals always negative, no matter the circumstances.

Stiles didn’t know if he could feel that way anymore, not after seeing this. But he kept running, legs burning and lungs pumping.

All Stiles knew right now was that he didn’t want to die. He didn’t know how much longer his luck would last though.

The Omega breathed in the musky scent of the shirt he wore, feeling the now comforting ache inside of him. A burst of power ran through him, motivation driving him forward faster than his worn-out body should be capable of. _Just let me see Derek one last time_.

~ ~ ~

**Derek’s POV**

No wonder they hadn’t found any main hunter’s compounds until now. If they were all like the one Derek was looking at now, finding them would be impossible.

Like the other hunter had said, the compound was built into the mesa, with caves jutting out in choice places, probably to let equipment in and out by car.

It had taken longer than he would have liked to find it. He had sent Peter, Erica, and Boyd to scout while shifted, hoping they’d catch the subtle yet pungent scent of hunters.

They had reported back to him the details, and it wasn’t going to be easy getting inside. Derek was far off in the distance, the moon the only light available.

They wouldn’t see him, but he was able to shift his eyes to see them perfectly. There were three caves, three openings, all guarded.

They were hidden from aerial view, so satellite images wouldn’t have found them. But they were armed, wolfsbane bullets lining the chambers no doubt.

Derek couldn’t risk sending his pack mates in, armed or not. They were out-numbered, with no cover. He could call in a bomb, but if Stiles was in there, along with any other hostages, they’d all die.

If they wanted to kill Derek, which is exactly what they wanted to do, this was a perfect set up. Sacrifice his pack, his mate, or both, by waiting too long to decide.

Derek also didn’t know the state of the pack’s public image. If, for any reason, the Hales were unable to regain favor, all weres would side with them.

Humans against weres, in that size, would be a very real war. If Derek did anything hasty now, it might be the tipping point.

“Alpha.” Erica said from behind him and he turned his head slightly. “Your veins are turning black, we need to hurry.”

Derek looked down at his arms, seeing the dark lines slither underneath his skin. He hadn’t been feeling good for hours now, forcing himself to adapt.

But the touch starvation was advancing to the point of being dangerous. If they were mated, it would take much longer, but because Derek and Stiles had a pre-bond, and because of their unique predicament, their bodies were quickly breaking down.

His veins were turning black in an emergency effort by his immune system to stop the pain as much as it could, in order for the Alpha to reach and mate his Omega properly.

Stiles’ body, on the other hand, would have started showing heat symptoms, a chemical way to reach out to the Alpha.

Hunters were human, but they operated on the same secondary sex that weres did. Any Alpha’s inside of there would sniff Stiles out, and with only a pre-bond, they’d attempt to take his Omega.

Derek couldn’t let that happen. So, he pulled a grenade out from his side, and stated walking forward, his pack following silently behind him.

“Peter, Scott, take the other entrances. Boyd, Erica, you stay with Peter. Lydia, Jackson, you’re with Scott. Make sure to smell out the mines.”

“Derek,” Peter began.

“I will be fine. Protect the others. Now go.” He flashed his eyes at them and they all ran silently off in different directions.

Derek set his eyes on the main cave, relying on the others to draw attention away from him so he could find Stiles.

Once they were all in position, a quick flash of eyes signaled the attack, and the bombs were thrown. After that, things went very fast.

~ ~ ~

**Stiles’ POV**

He was panting, the stairs feeling like a steeper mountain with every step he took. Stiles knew he wasn’t a crazy athlete, but he was in shape, this shouldn’t be this difficult.

Hell, his life was in the balance, this was when he should be running at his very best. But his skin was boiling, his muscles feeling like they were seconds away from spasming.

It had to be the touch starvation, but it was advancing so quickly. What in the world? Stiles was still sprinting when he felt the gush of slick leak out of him.

He was going into heat? _Are you fucking kidding me_? If he wasn’t currently in the literal path of death, Stiles would shoot himself in the foot.

Something wasn’t right though. Touch starvation occurred with any pre-bond, certainly with a full mate bite, but never this fast or extreme. What was going on?

An explosion rocked the stairwell, followed by two others in quick succession. Stiles hear leapt, daring to hope it was Derek, or at the very least a werewolf attack.

At the same time his stomach sank. If it was Derek, the hunters were merely getting what they wanted. The roars from behind him continued, as he ran behind the hunters, sweat seeping through his clothes and his pheromones wafting through even his own nose.

This was not the time. His instincts as a detective were all about getting the fuck out, and not getting mauled in the process.

But as an Omega, his body was almost demanding him to find a nest to wait for his Alpha. Thankfully, the threat of imminent death was quite the motivator.

Finally, after several twists, the stairs led to a metal door. The hunters who had come for him busted through and Stiles followed suite.

He was met with fluorescent lights, a shit ton of hunters who were all in panic mode, and therefore, a lot of guns.

Stiles should be thankful that he was the least of the hunter’s problems. The mutilated werewolves spilled out from the corridor and into the hall.

It didn’t take long for all hell to break loose, so Stiles flung himself onto his belly and started crawling. But the position made something in his head explode and he felt the all too familiar heat flush run over his skin.

“No no, please not now.” Stiles mumbled, legs pushing him forward as bullets whirled overhead and the sound of people being ripped apart came soon afterward.

 _Just keep moving_ , he repeated in his mind. If he hesitated for any reason, he would be dead. A shriek suddenly rang out, loud to the point of pain and the smoke from the blast started to clear a bit.

Stiles saw the flash of auburn hair and a throwing knife went right over his head, hitting someone behind him.

From the fog, Lydia stepped out, looking mad as hell. She raised her shotgun, shooting some poor fool before she turned and hit someone else with the butt of her gun.

Behind her came another hunter, hand knife at the ready and Stiles bolted up. He rushed in between Lydia and the hunter, using his body weight to slam into the guys legs, knocking him over.

Stiles got his gun, putting the barrel to the guy’s head and shooting, the ringing pounding into his head.

“Stiles!” Lydia shouted, running to his side. He slipped off the hunter, leaning against Lydia because his head was throbbing, his breath coming out in desperate pants.

“Oh Jesus, you’re in heat. And Derek took the opposite entrance.”

“Gotta…keep running,” Stiles puffed, trying not to feel a stab at Lydia’s words. Derek was still so far away.

Lydia threw three knives in quick succession, pulling Stiles to his feet.

“We have to go now!” Stiles said, pulling at the female but suddenly electricity pulsed through his hand and arm, making him snatch his hand away.

Lydia was an Alpha, and his body was not okay with body contact between them right now. Suddenly, one of the experiment wolves came at them and the horror on Lydia’s face was one of painful realization.

She lifted up her shotgun, shooting the raging were in the head. Blood splattered everywhere and Lydia hissed. “I just killed my own kind.”

“Lydia, Jackson!” It was Scott, screaming in the distance. Lydia shook herself and the two of them started running.

Stiles pulled Derek’s shirt up to his nose, the gun’s handle close to his face. The scent caused slick to all but cascade out of him, a biological plea for his Alpha.

Scott and Jackson came into view, the chaos and smoke providing as much cover as they would get. The other Alpha looked relived to see him.

Jackson and Lydia embraced and Stiles felt the hole in his chest deepen.

“Thank god. Derek will-“

And explosion, one much larger than the other ones, rippled through the walls. Scott flung himself over Stiles, protecting him from the shrapnel shooting out from the splintering walls.

The Omega’s body was screaming, pain starting to rise with the heat. It was like a string that was pulling him towards Derek.

It was in the direction of the explosion.

“That was the entrance Derek came in from.” Scott sounded frozen, fear lacing his voice at the thought of his Alpha being in the line of fire.

Before anything else could happen, Stiles was running, bolting out from under Scott like a bat out of hell, glad to be out front under another Alpha. _His_ Alpha wasn’t dead, he would know if he was.

But the thought of Derek being injured had him reeling, sprinting like he wasn’t currently burning from the inside out.

Bullets were still flying, and somehow, he made it to the end of the room, the wall a giant hole in the side.

Stiles had no idea what kind of building this was, but the no windows thing was really starting to freak him out.

He ran through the hall, stopping short because the other end was completely blocked off with fallen debris.

And by debris, Stiles meant dirt and rock. They were underground. A shiver went up his spine, but he bit down his fear.

Behind him came the shouts of hunters, heading his way. He cursed, looking around as his eyes landed on a door.

Stiles ran inside, yanking the door open and closed in a matter of seconds. Compared to the science lab décor of the rest of the building, this room was highly stylized.

Expensive rugs, a desk, shelves, and leather furniture littered the wooden floors. He couldn’t escape the sound of chaos coming from outside, but it was almost as if he weren’t there at all, like he’d been transported away.

Stiles flipped the heavy-duty lock on the door, assuming that whoever’s office this was had left in a hurry at the sound of the explosions.

He ran for the desk, slamming into it because his coordination was shot but he fumbled for the landline phone that sat on the glossy surface.

Complete silence was on the other end and Stiles threw the phone, watching as it clattered to the floor. The phone lines must have been cut.

Stiles went around, just about falling into the chair and slamming his hand into the keyboard so the computer would come to life.

The explosions must have been his best friend because the person hadn’t logged out either. If Stiles could connect to the internet, he could send his location to his dad through Facebook.

He couldn’t risk sending it to the police, which sucked, but his dad would know what to do. He might not like Talia, but werewolves were the only ones fit to take on hunters.

Stiles got into the internet, which was painfully slow, but it worked. Urgency was drumming through him, sweat continuing to pour out of him, and worry plaguing his mind.

But if Stiles didn’t find a way to get back up, they would all be dead. Without the crazy experimented wolves, Derek and the others could have taken the hunters.

As it was, they were all fucked. He was able to log into Facebook, which seemed like a world away, the newsfeed clogged with such mundane worries.

He sent his dad their location through messenger, and prayed it would go through. They were in rural Arizona. He wanted to yell.

Stiles opened up his email and started scanning the computers documents. The Hunters were still outside, probably fighting off Scott, Lydia, and Jackson. So, either way, he was stuck inside this room. Might as well use the time to his advantage, especially while his mind was still intact.

Any file he found that was about experimentation he attached and sent to his dad, the police, the DA’s office, and anyone else he could think of that had power.

The more he sent, the more likely the information would get out to the public, even if someone tampered with it. He couldn’t look through them himself, but he would make sure someone else could.

Eventually, he scrolled down to a folder labeled “Claudia Argent.” He clicked on it, the videos he had already watched popping up.

Inside was another file, called “Kate Argent Reports.” Time slowed down as he clicked into it, eyes immediately spotting a document.

“Stiles Stilinski.” He clicked on it, feeling apprehension in the back of his throat. It loaded, opening in Word, several pages long and very thorough.

In it, was his history, the part he didn’t know about. Stiles’ eyes peered down, trying desperately to focus on the words.

That’s when a roar rang out, one that shook him to the core and made his skin blaze with renewed fervor.

Derek.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How you guys feeling about that one??? We are so close to finding out what the fuck happened to Stiles!! Gahhhhh! See you next time fluffy loves! <3


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have a bit of a shorter chapter here, so don't hate me! But it needed to stand alone so I hope you enjoy it!   
> Also, NOTE: a dumbwaiter is a small, elevator like contraption with a pulley. You'll need to know that for later!   
> We are heading towards the end my lovelies, and I am so very excited.
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 18

* * *

 

**Kate’s POV**

**1995**

Kate felt giddy excitement ride up her spine. She had just found Claudia, after years of her being AWOL. And the bitch was currently wrapped around the deputy of Beacon Hills.

She had half expected to never find her, assuming the Hales had caught and killed her. But Kate knew better. Claudia was the golden child, and for good reason.

She was talented, the best shot and strategist among all of the kids. She wasn’t even blood, but she took to hunting like a long-lost relative.

In comparison, Kate had been looked over completely. Chris was the oldest, so even if he was on the more sensitive side, he got recognized.

But next to Claudia, Kate might as well have not even been there. There was also the fact that Claudia was an Omega, making Kate look like an Alpha failure.

 So, when her and Chris ran away, Kate took it as an opportunity to get the hell away from the Argent’s.

Chris had sworn off hunting, something she would never understand. She still hated weres, and would continue to kill them as her life’s purpose.

But her brother hadn’t been able to reconcile with the killing of those kids. Either way, none of it mattered.

Kate was ashamed when she finally learned about Claudia spying on them. She’d opened a goddamn flower shop as a cover, somewhere Kate would never be.

It had always been Claud who liked flowers. By the time Kate had caught on, Claudia didn’t seem to even care about her anymore.

And now here they were, with her step-sister’s lips locked with one of the cops who protected the Hales. Traitor.

It was amazing. She reached into her pocket, grabbing her cheap camera and snapping a few shots to make sure it would develop well.

Kate was going to reclaim her place as an Argent, now that the pest had betrayed them. And then, she would be the one to put a bullet through Claudia’s head.

**1997**

Kate sighed, watching from across the street inside of a café at the happy couple and their newborn baby. It was disgusting.

Three years she had been watching Claudia, trying to make up for her running away. Her dad had assigned her to this, forcing Kate to stay and observe.

Once they got her report that Claudia had not only fallen in love with a cop, but had befriended none other than Talia Hale, they refused to leave her alone.

Having lived there for a while, Kate was the perfect one to spy. So, she had gotten a permanent place in a small town outside of Beacon Hills, and had been watching her nemesis ever since.

Because she ran away so long ago, her hunter scent had dimmed, enough to ensure the wolves that ran this town never found her.

So, Kate had watched as John and Claudia got mated, married, and pregnant. All while Claudia grew closer to Talia and the Hales in general.

Kate had tried to spy on the Hales, but like everyone else, she could never get close enough to find anything out.

All she knew was the Head Alpha was close to her adopted cousin, so much so that she was walking out right behind the couple.

Claudia was in a wheel chair, cradling her spawn. But suddenly a black-haired runt came barreling out of the hospital, eyes ablaze in Alpha red, little claws extracted.

He ran right up to the wheel chair, slowing down to walk beside it. His eyes scanned around, shoulders crouched in caution, as if a threat would come from anywhere.

Talia shot a smile at John and her husband, Jason Hale, who was calling after the boy. But the Alpha stopped him, smiling down as Claudia stood up and handed her child down to the small wolf.

Kate couldn’t believe this, giving a baby to a werewolf, a kid at that? What a fool. But instead of drop it, the child, who must have been Derek Hale, cradled the baby up to his chest.

His short arms snaked around the little body, face pressing down and back expanding with the sign of an inhale. _What the fuck_?

Kate remembered the little boy, who was always with Talia when they went to go visit the Stilinski’s. Now that she thought about it, when Claudia was pregnant, the boy was always close to her.

Kate hadn’t thought anything of it, the boy probably saw her as an aunt by now. But this was strange. The small Alpha was holding onto the baby like it was a treasure.

Claudia let the kid carry her baby to the car, get in, and sit down with him. They all stood around, smiling like thing couldn’t get better. Kate was dumbstruck.

This would have to be called in, it was too weird. Her monthly report wasn’t due for weeks. It was time to call her dad.

~ ~ ~

Soul bonds. Kate could die and go to heaven. Claudia’s brat had a soul bond with Talia’s second child. Her dad wasn’t happy, Alexander was throwing a fit by now, no doubt.

But Kate was on top of the world. There was no saving Claudia now, no saving her child either. However, this would have to be delicate, painfully so.

Kate couldn’t simply take out Claudia and the baby, not now anyway. The soul bond meant the families were connected, in a way that would never break.

The organization wanted to take advantage of the situation. If they could take out some of the main Hales by using the bond, then all the better.

However, that meant a lot of waiting, years of it. Kate would have to wait around for the kids to grow up a little more, develop the bond into something more solid, and then act.

As a reward, Kate would be allowed to hunt in the area, targeting lone weres not affiliated with the Hales. She would have to stay in California and write up reports on the situation every month.

The levels of torture she would have to endure, to be surrounded by Hales and unable to kill them, would be the biggest challenge.

But if it meant eventually taking a chunk of them out, including her step-cousin, then so be it.

~ ~ ~

Kate would be the one to kill Stiles, Claudia’s little boy, a pathetic little Omega. She had been forced to watch him grow up, seven years of nothing but spying.

Sure, she had gotten numerous kills on her belt, but because none of them were big name weres, they came with little satisfaction.

After tonight though, she would officially be inducted back into the organization, working as a full-fledged hunter.

Alexander had refused her the right to kill Claudia, stepping up to do the deed himself. Kate had been furious, having no choice but to keep her mouth shut if she really wanted another chance.

But she demanded a shot at the kid. After seven years, she deserved that, and they generously allowed her the privilege.

As of right now, Kate was simply waiting.  Stiles would be inside of a van, tied up, on the way over. Kate didn’t know the details of his kidnapping, just the overall plan.

Stiles would be taken at school, buying the hunters a few hours at most to prepare. Once word got out, hell would rain down.

They were optimistic that Derek hale, while still young, would come for his mate. His family would try to stop him though, and if they succeeded, taking out the heir would be impossible for now.

However, if Stiles was killed, there was a high chance the Hale boy would die as well. Very few people survived the death of their soul bonded partner, especially ones that met so young.

Kate wanted the honor that went with killing the future Head Pair of the Hales. She’d make sure they never got old enough to seal the bond.

~ ~ ~

The kid was a fighter, Kate would give him that. So young, and yet he did everything in his power to get away.

He had apparently ran from them when they went to his school, screaming at the top of his lungs. Even now, he pulled at his restraints like he was a feral animal, every bit as wild as his mate’s family despite the human blood pumping inside of him.

Kate was watching him through the double mirror, gun tapping against her thigh. They were currently in Kate’s home, a city over from Beacon Hills.

Over the years she had turned the building into a mini compound, complete with a deep underground basement where the kid was tied up.

Two escape hatches were on either side of the house, so if worse came to worse, Kate would slip out. The House itself bordered the forest, on the outskirts of the town.

Kate had been forced to shop for non-perishables in bulk, traveling far to larger towns and cities just so she wouldn’t become familiar to the locals.

Hale loyalty was strong all over the country, but it was especially potent in California, so Kate had been extremely cautious.

Looking at the squirming Omega made her teeth grit down hard. She had to put up with so much for so long waiting for this brat to mature.

While Kate glared at the boy, the intercom buzzed on.

“They’re outside. They’ve brought at least fifty with them.” Gerald spoke, voice dark. Kate rolled her eyes, of course they did. A show of power.

“They won’t make any moves, they know we have the boy. Kate, you are to have a gun at his head at all times. Anyone comes into that room and you shoot him. Talia will be escorted inside for negotiations but everyone, get ready for an attack, they aren’t going to be peaceful.”

Kate readied herself, standing and walking into the room where Stiles was jerking against the chair. His eyes snapped up, duct tape pulling at his mouth as if he were desperately trying to scream at her.

As it was, a muffled shout was all he could get through. His eyes were red-rimmed, watery, but filled with rage.

It was amusing, to see such an expression on a kid, he was surely Claudia’s. He wore a black Star Wars shirt, a clip on green bow tie dangled in the front. An odd kid.

 Kate lifted her gun, propping it onto her shoulder so the barrel touched the side of his head. Stiles froze, starting to shake. The thought of death would kill bravery in a second, it made Kate grin.

“I hope you said goodbye to your mate boy, no matter what happens tonight, you’re not getting out of here. I’ll be sure of that.”

From the side profile, Kate could see Stiles’ jaw lock, a single tear slipping out of his eye before he fiercely shook his head, fighting them back.

From above, she could hear the fighting begin. Talia must have signaled it from inside, and soon the sound of guns and growls ripped through the air.

Stiles jerked his head up, eyes blazing with hope and fear, it excited Kate.

“They’re all gonna die.” She whispered, her voice carrying through the sound of chaos. Stiles turned his head, the barrel nestling right on his forehead.

The kid couldn’t speak, but he didn’t have to. His eyes said it all. _No, you’re gonna die_.

Well, let the show begin.

~ ~ ~

It didn’t take long for them to bust into the basement, but Kate wasn’t an idiot. She couldn’t kill Stiles just yet, not before they took Claudia out.

She wouldn’t deny that she was sick, but she wanted to see the bitch die. She wanted to see her uncle take her out right before she did the same to her son.

So, Kate dragged Stiles out of the chair, fighting his fractured movements until they got to the dumbwaiter.

It was small, but Kate was able to cram the two of them inside, even with Stiles’ flailing. One hit to the jaw and he lost all of his energy.

Pulling both of them up was a challenge, especially with her gun in the way. But soon enough they were on the first floor, watching out from the tiny glass window.

Stiles reared back in horror as Kate smiled. Blood everywhere, bodies crumbled on the floor, and bullets still flying.

What a sight. By far, her favorite though, and what would become her favorite memory, was Claudia bursting through the door.

Her gun was bouncing forward and back with the power of the shots, eyes ablaze with more anger and hate than she had ever seen.

Besides Kate, Stiles slammed into the door. The hunter hissed, pulling him back by his hair so he would sit still. This wasn’t over yet.

Out of the corner of the room, she could see her uncle, Alexander, who would be making the killing shot. Kate was getting a front row seat.

However, the blond head following Claudia belonged to none other than her brother. She hadn’t seen the bastard since she decided to return to the organization.

He’d been disgusted with her, too obsessed with justice to join her. The last she had heard or cared to track down, he had joined a military academy to get his high school diploma and join the FBI. Pathetic.

Chris lifted his own gun, and sank a bullet into someone beyond her sight. The person stumbled forward, clutching their shoulder.

It was her father, Gerald. Kate saw red. The man had never done them any favors, but he was the key to Kate getting her position back, her life’s purpose. She would be damned if her brother took that from her.

So, forgetting about the shivering boy, she pulled the door up, leaping from the dumbwaiter, and sprinting after him.

Kate passed the body of a hunter, leaning down to grab the rifle that lay next to it. Wolfsbane wouldn’t make any difference to a human body, but maybe she could take out a few wolves before the night was over.

Chris was unable to react, surprised from her sudden entrance and the sheer fact that it was her. The bitch couldn’t shoot his own sister, how very low he had come.

Kate lifted her gun, and pumped the trigger, watching her brother’s face go white in shock. He fell to the ground, grabbing his hip in pain.

Kate turned fast, aiming at Claudia’s head. The female was burning with anger, her golden eyes lit up. Kate envisioned her death, and pressed down, feeling the bullet project out.

A body stepped between them, the bullet sinking into a furry chest. Kate looked up, seeing more gold eyes and the face of Jason Hale.

The wolfsbane bullet snagged into his heart, and Kate watched as the poison spread through the valves and the rest of his body.

“Jason!” Claudia screamed and somewhere below them, probably in the basement, the roar of an Alpha in pain rippled through the floor boards. Talia, having felt the loss, grieving the death of her mate. It was a shame they weren’t soul-bonded, Kate could have done away with more than the Omega whore of the Hales.

“Mommy!” A little voice, ragged and wet, shouted. All heads whirled, Stiles, having gotten out of his binds and duct tape, was running toward Claudia.

Jason crumbled to the ground, lifeless, as her step-cousin bolted for her son.

“Stiles!” They ran for each other, arms out. A bullet went right through Claudia’s head, and even Kate was chilled as the woman’s body fell like a bag of concrete.

Stiles collapsed next to his mother, grabbing her head and turning it to the side. His little hands were shaking, tears cascading out of his wide eyes.

“N-N-No, mmph.” He shuddered. Stiles’ leaned down, pressing his face into his mothers and blood soaking into his green bow tie.

“Get up and run, dammit.” Gerald was next to her, pulling her to her feet. She saw Alexander lower his gun, shooting one last look at his dead daughter before heading toward them.

“But the boy.”

“They are coming back up the stairs, we have no time.” Alexander said, his face a bit twisted. He was right though, the pounding of shifted werewolves approaching swiftly.

“Fuck.” Kate cursed, turning to help Alexander carry her father out the door. Gerald yelled orders to retreat, and hunters began sprinting for their vehicles.  

“MOMMA!” Kate heard Stiles’ screaming sob, that turned into a shattering mix of a panicked breathing and tears.

They got Gerald into the truck, Kate jumping into the bed as Alexander drove off. The last thing she heard was the deafening scream of John Stilinski, mingling with that of his son, and Talia Hale.

What a beautiful sound. She would have to document this all later. Kate wanted to remember this night. She only hoped the boy would too. She didn’t get to kill him now, but she vowed that she would, one day.

Kate smiled, the darkness surrounding them as they drove off into the night.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was really fun writing from this POV, and now you all know what really happened!! Stiles is reading all of this in report form, how do you think he will feel???? I hoped you liked it! See you next time! <3


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't begin to say I'm sorry you guys. This past month has been ridiculously busy, and I had to deal with two family illnesses. However, I finally got it done! Here is the second to last chapter! That's right, next one is the last one so get ready!
> 
> Thank you guys for everything, especially your patience.
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 19

* * *

 

**Derek’s POV**

Derek’s initial breach of the compound was unexpected, so he was able to take out several hunters without them having time to react.

But, of course, he had taken the entrance into the armory, of all places. So, while the dust settled, the hunters took up arms, and set off to kill him.

Derek used his sensitive hearing, sight, smell, and speed to gain the upper hand. His knife slit through throats, his gun kicking back repeatedly as bullets pierced through heads.

He could feel himself growing more and more feral, the effects of the touch starvation pushing his control to its limits as he half shifted.

Right now, the entire compound would be on lock down, every available hunter rushing to the entrances to defend them.

The armory he was in had several halls and rooms, all filled with different weapons. It would give him a chance to get out of sight while killing as many as possible.

He pushed into a room that was filled with grenades and small duty bombs. Hunters wouldn’t deal with anything larger, they didn’t have the tech for it.

But, an idea struck him. This room was still near the entrance, far away from the core of the mesa. They would never keep Stiles anywhere near weapons, so he would be safe.

Derek grabbed the last grenade on his hip, pulling the clip out and tossing it into the room. The he sprinted, bypassing hunters who hadn’t expected him there.

He threw himself behind another wall, hands going to his ears as the explosion pounded through walls, destroying them.

The shockwave shook him, debris narrowly missing his body. He had to be covered in small gashes, the likes of which his skin was rapidly healing from.

Derek needed to be careful not to take a wolfsbane bullet, he couldn’t afford to slow down. So, when the second the blast had stopped shaking the structure, he was back up and running.

He switched his handgun for an assault rifle, taking each corner only after scanning it and shooting anyone on sight.

His legs were moving fast, bodies falling rapidly in the chaos and confusion. A sweet scent suddenly floated into his nose, fresh, ripe, and made for him.

Stiles’ heat. It was the first time he had actually smelled it, and it went straight to his brain. Touch starved as he was, it caused the last of his control to slip.

He felt his bones crack, shifting around. His jaw elongated, teeth raising into gruesome points, ear growing out and flattening against his head.

Derek’s hands and feet reformed, claws protruding from the muscles and tendons. And uncontrolled Alpha shift was dangerous, his human mind already beginning to recede.

His wolf was taking over, putting the priority of finding his, now in heat, Omega, before anything else. But that meant his human strategizing also went out the window.

Before he knew it, he was mostly animal, charging through the corridors that were now too small for him.

Claws shredded through anything in his way, snout puffing with the effort of tracking his mate. It took him to a hallway that had collapsed into itself.

The armory had to have extended far inward, the explosion more powerful than he had expected. Not that any of that mattered anymore.

Derek went at it with savage determination, not mindful of the hunters in his wake, as he thrashed against the earth keeping him from his mate.

A bullet sank into his shoulder blade, the wolfsbane spreading like fire through his veins. But it didn’t feel like normal.

The pain was there, but Derek only felt his wolf grow more feral, muscles growing and mind growing into a thin line of pure aggression.

He felt the last part of him slip out of awareness and he was completely taken over.

~ ~ ~

**Stiles’ POV**

Stiles didn’t know how long he sat there, body burning with fever, aches blooming over every inch of him, but with his mind utterly silent.

He stared at the computer screen, at the words that told a story he had no recollection of. A soul bond with Derek, whom he had known since birth, his father a protector of the Hales, and his mom being murdered by the very hunters she used to fight for.

None of it made sense. Stiles had memories of his mother in the hospital, or her forgetting his name, of dying.

He barley remembered Beacon Hills, but he’d only been seven. Nowhere in those collection of memories were Derek or the Hales.

John had been so against Stiles’ obsession with the Hales, was this why? He had always assumed it was because they were dangerous. Was that all a lie?

Stiles grabbed his head, shutting his eyes tight in desperation. He tried to look back, trying to open a doorway to the past that he didn’t know ever existed.

But, nothing came up, he was empty. The memories of his mother’s illness, which had seemed so vivid, now appeared grey and foggy.

He realized his breathing was coming too fast, the stress causing his temperature to skyrocket. Moving wasn’t an option, the night catching up with him and his heat exaggerating every symptom.

Another roar cut through his panic, and something inside him pushed through. He involuntarily tilted his head up, letting out a high-pitched whine for Derek.

Stiles’ legs spread, more slick gushing out as his chest pumped. His hands shivered as they rubbed over his thighs. The sound of rubble being moved in bulk registered in his ears.

Derek’s growls sounded distorted, but closer. Soon enough, a huge wolf stood on the other side of the door to the office.

Stiles could recognize Derek in any form, but the shock of the door being blasted open made unease swirl in his mind.

Something was wrong, he could feel it. So, he fought through the heat induced haze, forcing his eyes to focus.

What was supposed to be red was bright purple. Derek’s eyes matched those of the mutated weres. Stiles felt panic slap him hard in the face, breath freezing inside if him.

However, his reaction didn’t match up, he still wanted Derek. Now that he was aware of their soul bond, his body’s heat was in full swing, not to mention the added benefit of the touch starvation.

This was so not the time though, they needed to get out of there. And, while Stiles would do a lot of things for Derek, getting fucked by the most animal version of him wasn’t on that list. Especially because something was definitely not normal about him.

He was on the move though, the big frame of him stalking towards Stiles. His shoulders rolled, eyes intent and Stiles couldn’t decide whether to push back or meet the Alpha in the middle. He ended up staying put, barley moving even a centimeter.

Whenever Derek shifted, there was always a piece of him still there, looking out. But, the purple eyes staring back at him did not have the man in them.

The small sliver of rationale Stiles still had was shouting in his mind, especially as the wolf circled around the desk and got closer.

But, his body didn’t agree, shifted or not, Derek was his mate, and it was reacting in kind. Heat rolled through him like a wave, causing his skin to flush even brighter.

Stiles’ eyes had long begun to glow, but they even felt hot. His neck arched back, baring himself to the Alpha and a whimper shot his way out of his mouth.

Derek growled, taking the sound as a cue and reaching for him. Stiles was surprised he had been so slow to approach.

The animal really was in control, acting like a wolf who was courting a mate, cautious so not to scare. With Stiles scent pumping out pheromones, and his puffy breaths, he had unknowingly given Derek permission.

The second fur and skin came into contact, Stiles’ body screamed. His heat pulsed with renewed fever, but the pinprick pain of touch starvation started to fade.

The Alpha picked Stiles up and slammed him into the wall with as much gentleness as a seven-foot werewolf could.

Stiles wrapped his legs around the thick trunk of Derek’s waist, and the two of them just stayed there. Every breath of air brought relief to the pain riddling their skin.

Derek’s body was hot, muscles tensing unnaturally under Stiles’ hands. But, his mind was still too muddled to focus on anything, his body overheating.

Derek suddenly pulled back, pushing Stiles away who whined in protest. Suddenly, he was spun around, his chest meeting the wall and Derek pressing against his back.

He was being held up in Derek’s arms, his entire body shrouded and curving along his mate’s. He didn’t expect to feel the huge clamp of jaws come around his neck.

Stiles didn’t even blink before Derek’s teeth sank into his skin. Hormone riddled saliva leeched through his blood, forming the bond and flooding through Stiles’ system.

The feeling was so intense, Stiles didn’t even feel any pain. Instead, his vision went white, his head exploding in a haze.

Then, like two currents converging, Stiles felt Derek merge with him. He felt the brute power of the wolf, and he could feel the Alpha in a way he couldn’t describe.

There was a darkness to the feeling, one that swirled around him protectively. It wasn’t evil, not even close, but it was something Stiles had never encountered.

But, what really shook him was the deep, swelling affection that Derek had for him. It was like being submerged in hot water after being stuck in a blizzard.

Overwhelming in every way, but one of the best feelings he ever had. With the feeling came the flash of a memory.

One where Stiles’ big gold eyes were staring at Derek’s red ones. Their faces were much smaller, their bodies tiny with the touch of awkward coordination that children had.

Stiles was balanced in Derek’s lap, giggling and happier than he had ever felt. It was the briefest flash, but it took all the air out of Stiles’ body.

When the Alpha finally pulled his teeth out of Stiles, the Omega went limp. The heat waned, apparently satisfied for the time being with the seal of the bond. That probably wouldn’t last long though.

Slowly, Stiles’ thoughts cleared, and Derek pulled him away from the wall. That’s when Stiles’ panic set it. They hadn’t resolved anything.

The last time they were together, Derek had told him it wasn’t going to work, that Stiles could never accept the Hales. Stiles hadn’t disagreed.

But, they were permanently bonded now. They were soul bound, and there was no breaking that. Stiles felt his heart rate rise, Derek growling down at him in concern.

The sound snapped Stiles back to reality, his ears picking up the ongoing gun fire. This was not the time to be thinking about his and Derek’s future.

At the rate things were going, they may not even have one. So, he shook himself, grabbing onto Derek for stability.

“We gotta go big guy.” Stiles said, pushing lightly against the Alpha who rumbled in displeasure.

“There you two are.” A voice said from the doorway. Stiles and Derek both swung their heads to look at none other than Kate Argent.

She was welding a gun, blood still trickling down her face. She lifted the weapon up, madness swept up in her gaze, but Derek wasted no time in throwing them both to the ground.

Stiles grunted on impact, his body really not up to any of this. Bullets sprayed overhead, Kate’s twisted laughter a high-pitched background noise.

Derek was huffing above him, caging the Omega’s body with his own. Stiles regretted not taking the time to shoot her, but truth be told, danger might be the only thing that gets Derek to move.

Kate seemed to be coming closer, the sound of the gun pounding harder and harder into his ears after every passing second.

Derek looked down at him, eyes ablaze before shoving Stiles under the desk and throwing himself at Kate.

Stiles gasped, lurching back out and around to watch as his mate tackled the huntress. A few bullets punched their way through Derek’s muscle, leaving purple poison it their wake.

Derek didn’t drop, didn’t even flinch. Stiles paled, as relieved as he was to see the Alpha still standing, it wasn’t normal.

Even Kate looked thrown, her face disturbed. Before she could act, Derek pushed forward, so fast Stiles barley saw the movement.

With a sickening crunch, Kate’s skull was crushed between Derek’s jaws. Stiles looked away, a hand covering his mouth while trying to ignore the sound of blood splattering on the floor.

Suddenly, Derek barked, and Stiles’ mind immediately recognized it as a call to come to him. Before he could stop it, or even understand it, Stiles let out an answering mewl, his body moving without control.

It felt natural, but in the back of his mind, Stiles knew that this was the bond at work. It had connected them in a way he didn’t know how to explain. He would mull that over when they weren’t both currently trapped inside a hunter’s compound.

With shaky legs, he approached Derek, heat still dancing just below his skin. The Alpha pulled him to his chest, and while Stiles avoided looking at the blood dripping from Derek’s muzzle, the warmth form his body was welcome. It felt…too good. Like Stiles didn’t want to be far from it.

He couldn’t be thinking that way, so he tried pulling back, but Derek only pushed him closer and Stiles grumbled.

He felt a wolfy chuckle, as if wolf Derek was so very amused with his little mate. A very large paw rubbed down Stiles’ back and down the cleft of his ass, reminding the Omega that he was still sopping wet down there, much to Derek’s pleasure.

“No no no, not happening. Not now.” He protested, pushing back but Derek only seemed to grow in eagerness. Right, running from werewolves only made things worse.

Wait…A light bulb went off and Stiles arched his back, whimpering just a bit to tempt Derek. Seducing a giant man-wolf had never been on his bucket list, but if it would do the trick, why not?

The Alpha growled possessively, hand-paws caressing Stiles instead of holding onto him. That’s when Stiles let his knees buckle, body sliding down before he bolted the other way.

So, he ran. Derek chased him just like he knew he would. Stiles sprinted the way he had originally came, hoping to find the others so they could get the fuck out of there.

The second he burst into the main room, Stiles deeply wished he hadn’t. Bodies were everywhere, a sea of blood swirling below them.

The scent of it was a wall that slammed into him, making Stiles cover his nose. The hunters hadn’t been killed by the Hales though, not all of them at least.

Their bodies were mutilated, ripped apart and thrown so it was really just chinks of body parts laying everywhere.

Stiles gagged, but then his gaze caught onto the cause of all this. The mutant weres were in the back, teeth sunken into the flesh of the hunters.

They were feeding. Eyes glowing that strange purple, and bodies all around deformed. Peter and the others were nowhere in sight.

When Derek emerged right behind him, growling in excitement, it called all the attention to them. But, just when Stiles thought that they were going to be brutally murdered, the weres all howled.

Stiles looked back at Derek who looked curious but to Stiles’ horror, he too lifted his head and howled. And, because of his new found understanding of all things wolfy, Stiles knew the howl to be one of pack greeting.

“You have to be fucking kidding me.” They thought he was their Alpha.

“Stiles!” A voice, huffing and panicked came over the intercom. It was Scott. “You’ve gotta get out of there. We ran, those weres aren’t okay. Gerald and Alexander retreated and called the authorities. SWAT and the National Guard are on their way. It wasn’t a trap to kill Derek. They set us up.”

Stiles turned, looking into Derek’s glowing purple eyes and finally understood. Whatever they had been testing, it was to make weres like Derek, with no human side to them. With government officials involved, they had been wanting to turn public opinion against them, and this was the last step of the plan. The mutants were the guinea pigs, and Derek was the success.

He gazed up at his Alpha, who was looking content, no idea of what was actually going on. Stiles needed to get them both out of there or Derek was going to be killed.

“Scott!” Stiles yelled, not sure if the intercom worked both ways.

“I’m here,” he wheezed back.

“The weres think Derek is their Alpha. They won’t hurt us. Tell me where to go and I’ll get us out of here.” His voice was shaking, pressure building in his head.

Scott yelled over a series of directions, and Stiles locked them in his mind. “Peter isn’t doing so good, and they’re getting closer. Hurry.”

With that, the intercom shut off and Stiles took a deep breath. His mind was working a mile and minute, but his body would need to do the same.

So, he bolted. Once again, he was running, his throat burning with the thought of someone hurting Derek. His mate, who might not even be able to come back to his old self ever again.

The Alpha was after him immediately, letting Stiles run a little ahead because in the wolf’s mind, this was a game.

Derek gave a sharp bark, one that ordered the others to stay. Stiles almost cried in relief. They would continue feasting on the bodies but at least they wouldn’t be following them out.

Stiles was pumping his legs hard, breath bursting for his mouth like a machine. He twisted around corners, jumped over more dead bodies, and still ran on.

But, Derek seemed to be tiring of the game, and he started running faster, intent on catching Stiles this time.

“God, please no.” They were nearly there. Nearly outside. Derek tackled him the second they busted into the night air.

Stiles gulped, relief pounding into him with such forced that he sobbed loudly.

“Derek! Stiles!” Scott yelled from somewhere in the distance. Derek’s head snapped up, arms tightening around Stiles and a threatening growl hissing from his teeth.

“Oh fuck.” Peter said, sounding weak.

“What did they do to him?” Lydia whispered, horrified. Stiles was struggling to get up.

“Derek, let me go.” He said, but the Alpha ignored him, growls getting louder and more aggressive. He didn’t recognize them as pack mates, as he had the others.

“Guys, get back.” When they didn’t Stiles yelled “NOW!” Derek immediately went in to lick at Stiles’ neck, and he hated that it comforted him.

Stiles grabbed Derek’s face, staring into the wolfish features and forcing the Alpha to do the same. Now that the others had backed up, he was more relaxed.

“Derek.” He said, looking for any sign of acknowledgment, but it never came. “Der…please.” Stiles felt tears well up in his eyes, but while Derek knew he was distressed and attempted to help, he didn’t respond.

Preoccupied with each other, Derek and Stiles failed to notice Boyd bring the butt of Peter’s hammer down on Derek’s nape with a strength that could kill.

Fortunately for Derek, all he did was pass out. The big body collapsed onto Stiles, crushing his lungs but Scott and Boyd quickly lifted him off.

Stiles hurriedly wiped his eyes, rubbing the tears out. Now wasn’t the time.

“What did they do?” Boyd asked, and Stiles shook his head. They were testing on the others, shooting wolfsbane into them. When Derek was shot, he was immune. Whatever they injected into him, it made it so he can’t turn back.”

A collective intake of breath followed, and Stiles grimaced.

“We’ll figure it out later. We have to go, now.” Peter said, clutching his side which was bleeding. A thin stream of purple fluid was tinged with the red, he’d been shot. They really did need to get out of there.

“Wait,” Stiles said, getting to his feet with Erica’s help. “The mutated weres are still inside. They did this to prove weres aren’t stable. If we leave them there, the Guard will find them, and it will be sued as evidence.”

“We can’t take them with, they’ll kill us. And taking them into cities isn’t possible.” Lydia said, bloodied up herself.

“We have to kill them.” Peter said, eyes hard. No one said anything, because it was true. Stiles looked around. None of them were in any shape to go back in.

And what’s more, they shouldn’t have to kill their own kind, especially innocents who had suffered at the hands of hunters.

“I’ll do it.” Stiles said. Everyone shook their head, murmuring their protests. “None of you can or want to, or even should. And they won’t hurt me. They think I’m their Alpha’s mate.”

“You are. We can see the bite Stiles. And, your scents changed.” Lydia pointed out. Peter limped forward, grabbing his belt and pulling it form his body.

He handed it to Stiles, it was lined with grenades. “You pull that string, and they all go off.” Peter showed him, the string tying the clips together.

“Throw it in there and get the fuck out. Scott, go with him. Protect our Omega-Mate.” With that, and a final look of acknowledgment, Peter stepped back.

Stiles was shocked. The man had been nothing but a prick since they met. That was probably the nicest thing he had ever said to anyone.

Scott nodded to him, “Let’s go.” Stiles took a deep breath and jogged inside, Scott following close at his heels. They started running in earnest once they got into the halls.

The compound itself wasn’t overly large, but Stiles was exhausted, his body barley keeping up. When they were nearing the main room where the weres were, Stiles turned to stop Scott.

“You stay here and wait,” he whispered, and Scott furrowed his brows, clearly not in agreement. The look in his eyes was different now.

He was looking at Stiles like he looked at Derek and Talia. A deep part of Stiles liked it, and he shoved it down.

“If they attack you, we’ll never get out.” With that, Stiles left him there and made his way into the center room.

He held his breath against the onslaught of coppery scent. Growls came his way until the weres quickly noticed who he was.

They quickly began approaching him, but Stiles put up a hand. “Stop.” He couldn’t exactly speak wolf, but the meaning was clear at they froze in place.

Stiles raised the belt with one hand, grasping the string with the other. But, before he could pull it, his gaze met there’s.

They were feral, beyond any human existence. Their bodies were twisted and malformed, some completely unrecognizable.

But, right now, they were looking at Stiles with something akin to adoration, just like Scott had just done. Like the Hales did.

Realization dawned on him like a bucket of ice on his veins. They saw him as their Omega-Mate. His arm stopped, Stiles’ breath catching in his throat.

He looked at every one of them. They had been people once, innocents who did nothing but be taken by hunters. They had been tortured, experimented on, and would never be the same.

As a detective, it was Stiles’ job to help them. However, the truth was staring at him in the face. He knew that if let out, the weres would kill any human in the vicinity.

The countless, half-eaten bodies surrounding them was testament to that. But, the Guard and SWAT team were coming.

Could they capture and detain them? Was that even ethical? But, doing so would put all werewolves in danger.

The hunters wanted humans to believe weres were slaves to their animal counterparts, beasts that could destroy humanity.

If this group was found, they would believe that. And, if Stiles let that happen, he would be doing something he was no longer capable of: betraying the Hales.

So, with one last look at the trusting faces who stared back at him, Stiles pulled the string. The clips of the grenades released, and he threw the belt on the ground right next to the weres.

With tears streaming down his face, he turned and ran. Him and Scott sprinted out, the explosion following close after them until they emerged out into the night air.

A hand came to Stiles’ mouth, catching the sob that ripped out of his chest. Before he passed out, he looked back to see the flames licking out from the mesa.

They burned everything, including Stiles’ life as a detective. He’d chosen the Hales. There was no going back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of stuff going on here man. But, I hoped you all liked it! Let me know what you thought and look forward to the ending! :D <3 Love you all, thanks again.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER. You see, I am a filthy filthy liar. To be fair, I truly thought it would be. However, the chapter was getting too long for a single update and it's been quite a while!   
> The next chapter, however, will be the last. There may be an epilogue though, we will have to see! 
> 
> I am now on winter break (thank god) so I actually have time to write! Thank you all for your patience and support. I can't wait to finish this story with you <3
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 20

**Stiles’ POV**

Stiles woke up to melodic beeping and the smell of pungent sterilization. His eyes were heavy, opening them was like yanking open a rusty cage.

The world was a blur, but when he finally focused, Stiles saw an oddly familiar white ceiling. Once feeling came to his body, he noted the less than soft sheets that covered his body, and the cords that were stuck around him.

The memories of the past few weeks came to mind, like a bad dream, and he gasped. His body was sore, so moving felt like shit, but he attempted to sit up anyway.

Stiles was in a hospital, but not just any hospital. He was in Providence Portland Medical Center. He was back in Oregon, like none of it ever happened.

But, the state of his body said otherwise. He had an IV in, bandages over his wounds, and an oxygen tube in his nose along with the heart monitor beeping in the background.

In the corner, sleeping on the too-small couch was his dad, and Stiles nearly sobbed. It was so good to see him.

“D-Dad,” Stiles wheezed, his voice shot. John had never been a heavy sleeper, and he was apparently on high alert because his eyes snapped open, and he immediately sat upright.  

His eyes were red, sunken in and the man had lost weight. Stiles felt a pang of guilt hit him, and he just shook his head at his dad, eyes watering.

“Stiles, oh my god.” John said, rushing to his side. He threw his arms around the Omega, gentle against his wounds, but still desperate.

“I’m so sorry,” Stiles hiccupped, rattled with the sudden reunion and everything that had happened. “Dad,” he pushed back from the hug, looking panicked. “Where’s Derek?”

A lot was going on, but that was the most important. John shook his head.

“I don’t know. I just got a call that you were here and flew over. No one knows where the Hales are.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re gone, off the grid. A lot has been happening bud. What happened to you?”

Of course, that made Stiles think about what he went through, and what he now knew because of it. His face went from one of worry, to another of pure rage.

“Why did you lie to me?” Stiles shouted, or tried to. John looked taken aback, gaze confused from the sudden change.

“Stiles, wha-“

“No. Why didn’t you tell me mom was murdered?” John’s face went ghost white. “Why did you tell me Derek was my fucking soul bonded mate? That I’ve known him since I was born?”

John looked baffled, completely taken off guard, but Stiles was pissed. Happy to see him, but pissed.

“Answer me.” John sighed, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, and taking a moment before starting.

“You were a zombie, Stiles. You stopped talking, stopped eating, you woke up screaming every single night. I tried taking you to every therapist in town. The only time you were even remotely alive was when you were with Derek, but even he triggered the memories. So, you were in a hell between wanting to be with him and being scared of seeing the Hales. Nothing I did or tried worked. One day, Deaton came to the house, suggesting the only thing that could help you. He said we could suppress your memories, replacing them with false ones. It would only work if we got out of Beacon Hills, and if you never saw the Hales again. I didn’t want to take you away from Derek, but he was desperate for you to be okay again. And, Stiles I was so goddamn angry. I had been complicit with protecting the Hales for years. I understood why they did what they did, and they never hurt innocents. But, in my mind, your mom’s death was their fault. They stole you because of your connection to them, and she died as a result of trying to rescue you.”

“They would have always come after her, she was a hunter!” Stiles argued, and Johns eyes ran watery.

“Don’t you think I know that? But, it felt good to blame someone else. When you screamed every time you saw them, it only became easier to hate them, and to want to get the both of us out. So, I let Deaton mask your memories. You were so traumatized, your brain wanted to forget. So, we left.”

Stiles shook his head, attempting to process his dad’s words. “Is that why you always tried to convince me how bad they were?”

“…You were about ten when the immediate Hale family came on TV. I had kept you from seeing or hearing of them before then, but I came downstairs and you were already watching. Your eyes were glazed over, and you were staring at Derek. I realized I couldn’t hide them from you forever. So, I did everything I could to convince you they were criminals. Not that I was lying, you should know by now what they do. But, you became obsessed. I figured things were okay because you hated them so much, but I knew this would happen.”

“What dad? What would happen?”

“That goddamn bite on your neck. You’re his now, his Omega. Jesus, you don’t even know what’s going on out there do you?”

Stiles hesitated at that. He had forgotten about the hunters’ greater plan, his anger sizzling out to a dull burn. “What’s been happening?”

“Articles started coming out, about how weres can’t control themselves and all that bullshit. There were always accusations but suddenly, police departments started reporting that those attacks that have been going on, were all caused by werewolves who had turned feral against their own kind.”

“That’s not true, hunters killed them.” Stiles seethed, and John just nodded.

“I know, but they weren’t able to find any proof. That’s why you were sent to Washington in the first place. Deputy’s in my own department want to spin that narrative, and we don’t even have evidence. So now, people in Congress are calling for experimentation. The more radical ones are suggesting internment camps for weres until we can establish the truth.”

Stiles covered his face with his hands, fingers rubbing over his temples.

“Dad. I have to tell you something…When I went to Washington, we were only able to find a hair sample. I managed to get it tested and it came back as a match with Robert Carter, the assistant to the Secretary of Defense. This is all a set up. The hunters are experimenting on werewolves to make them lose control. They turn them into monsters. People in the government, FBI, police departments, they are all apart of it.”

There was silence and Stiles looked back up to see John with an anguished expression. Stiles hadn’t seen a face like that since his mom died.

“Dad-“

“You need to go back to Beacon Hills. You need to be with Derek.” Out of everything John could have said, that wasn’t what Stiles was expecting.

“What are you saying?”

“One, he’s your mate. Your soul-bonded mate. You can’t be separated for long, trust me, I know. See that IV? Along with hydrating fluids, it has mate separation meds. That’s the only thing keeping you from touch starvation. You don’t go back, you’re on that shit for the rest of your life. And two, I don’t like what’s going on. I want you safe, and Derek _will_ keep you safe. I know what they do, and I know you don’t like it. But, that man will take care of you. He always has.”

Stiles didn’t say anything. John didn’t know about what happened to Derek, hell, Stiles didn’t even know about Derek anymore. What had happened to his Alpha? Why had they taken him back to Portland?

Stiles would only get answers if he asked them directly.

“I’m gonna need a car.”

~ ~ ~

Stiles was five miles out of Beacon Hills and his stomach was queasy. It had ben several days since the Arizona incident, who knows how Derek was doing.

He was alive, Stiles knew that much. But, he wondered if they’d returned him to normal. Then, of course, there was the giant elephant with “are you gonna stay with Derek” painted on its forehead.

Stiles didn’t know if he had a choice on that end, not really. No matter what happened, they’d have to see each other periodically.

There were stories though, of mates who didn’t want each other. They lived separately and would meet once a month to maintain their health.

They had to be medicated the rest of the time but they did manage to have independent lives. Though, Stiles had never heard of soul bonded mates doing that, he didn’t even know if it was possible.

Probably because mates like that never wanted to be separated. Stiles didn’t exactly know what he wanted to do, and yet here he was, driving to see them.

Even now, he had daily injections he had to give himself. They made him groggy and apparently a side effect was depression so, unless Stiles wanted to deal with this his whole life, he and Derek needed to figure things out.

However, for all he knew, they might be gone. John had offered to call Talia, but Stiles insisted he just go down and see for himself. He needed time to think anyway.

He was still pretty lost though. Stiles needed to find out how Derek was, and what the Hales were doing in light of all the backlash, then he could make a decision.

He entered city limits and headed directly for the Hale house. Unfortunately, he didn’t actually know its precise location.

The last time he’d been there he had purposefully crashed and had been led there. So, Stiles drove up to the camping site where he had been, and started walking in the direction that looked familiar.

He couldn’t believe all that had happened since he was last here. Twigs snapped under his feet and light streaked through the leaves above him.

Stiles really wanted to see Derek. The ache in his chest was a dull throb, but it nagged at him. He had been prescribed suppressants, which had done a good job of regulating his heat, so it didn’t flare up again.

Suddenly, a growl came from behind, and Stiles whirled around. A wolf stood before him, aggressive and guarding. One deep inhale through the females nose, and her expression shifted.

She lowered her body in a deep bow, flashing her neck for a second before approaching him, warmth in her eyes.

Stiles could tell she was a beta, but nothing more. She was obviously a Hale, which made Stiles feel strangely at home.

The female lifted her head and howled, the sound bouncing off the trees. It took only seconds for another howl to come back their way.

Stiles felt that odd knowing again, like he could interpret the howls. The female had called for Talia, and Stiles felt his gut tighten with nerves as they waited.

It didn’t take long for the Alpha to break through the trees, wearing a soft but tired smile.

“I knew you’d come. The others weren’t so sure.”

“How is he?” Stiles asked, leaning forward with a desperate need to know. Talia crossed her arms, but nodded with satisfaction,

“He’s okay.” Stiles deflated, feeling tension run out of his body that he hadn’t realized he’d been carrying. “He’s on dialysis now, has been ever since we got back. It’s taking a while to purify his blood and get all that shit out.”

“What did they do to him?” Stiles asked, feeling concern bubble inside him again.

“Well, Derek had already lost a good amount of control before they injected him. He managed to reach his last Alpha shift. You saw him, bigger, more wolf like. He probably heard or scented you and that triggered it. But, then they shot him with what turned out to be a wolfsbane concoction. Deaton is still analyzing it. Its basically a less toxic strain, one that attaches itself to blood cells to keep the body in a constant state of poisoning. The wolf will come out in cases of extreme danger, totally out of control of the human side. If the wolf can’t heal from the poison, the human mind will never come back. Those mutated weres were the unsuccessful attempts. The poison broke down their bodies and they healed incorrectly so they ended up deformed.”

The mention of the other weres made Stiles shiver with guilt. He’d been having flashbacks ever since he woke up and panic attacks were quick to follow.

The only thing keeping him going was the need to be with Derek. Talia walked over to him and drew him into a hug.

“I heard what happened. All of it. I’m so sorry Stiles.” The combination of his mother’s best friend hugging him, and the relief of knowing Derek was doing better, made emotion swell in his chest again.

And, he broke down. Stiles sobbed into Talia, letting the sadness of losing his mother and having to kill the innocent weres rip through him.

Truthfully, this probably wouldn’t be the last time he lost it. Stiles needed a lot of time to process everything he learned and did.

But, simply being able to lean on Talia, someone so important to both his mother and mate, made the black pit in his chest lighten a little.

When he’d stopped most of the crying, Stiles stepped back, rubbing at his eyes.

“So, Derek was the lucky success?” He laughed pitifully.

“Not quite, my guess it they are trying to eliminate our human part completely. Thankfully Derek still has his. Deaton’s still trying to get it to come back. It’s there. But the wolf is still on alert, and is refusing to recede. He’s close though.”

Stiles nodded. He would take anything he could get. “Why did you guys take me back to Portland? I could have healed alongside Derek.”

“…Are you going to stay with him? With us?” Talia asked, her eyes wary, like she didn’t want to hear the answer.

“Wh-…well, um…” Stiles dragged out, uncertainty riddling his mind.

“Stiles, I’m sure you’ve heard about what’s going on. It isn’t safe for us here anymore. Not that it ever really has been. But those that oppose us are getting riled up. We have some packs reporting attacks from prejudiced civilians. So, once Derek is better, we’ll be leaving.”

Stiles’ head inched back in disbelief. “For how long, where to?”

“I can’t tell you where, unless you choose to come. But, I doubt we’ll be back for a while, probably not in my lifetime. Tensions are rising, and I wouldn’t be surprised if war is in the future.”

Stiles felt his hair stand on end. Talia had a point though, with the government legitimatizing peoples’ hate, more fighting was bound to break out.

The hunters had to be running experiments elsewhere, so the destruction of the Arizona compound was a very small victory. Stiles wouldn’t want to stay there either.

“But…Derek and I are bonded now.”

“That’s the thing. You aren’t, not totally.”

“….What?” Stiles shook his head, because he sure as shit didn’t make up crazy monster Derek biting him in the neck. He reached up to rub the mark, feeling the grooves that dented his skin.

Talia just shook her head. “His wolf is bonded to you. Because of the poison, his human side wasn’t present for the bite. It’s not a complete bond. Even healthy weres often have to bite twice, in both forms, for the bond to be full.”

Stiles was frozen, disappointed hot in his mind, but he didn’t know how much this changed things. “So, what does that mean?”

“It means you can have your own life, apart form the Hales. Derek would come back ever so often, so his wolf could be near you. Both of you would have to take meds and you’d never be able to bond with anyone else. But, it means you don’t have to come with us.”

Stiles shook his head, not really believing her words.

“Stiles, you know what we do, who we are. Right now, we are getting ready to leave. We can’t risk coming back. If you came with us, you’d have to quit your job. We would arrange visitations with your dad but even those would be few and far between. Odds are, things are going to get bloody. More people will die and you’ll be caught up in the midst of it. Derek is the Alpha of the Hales after me. Which will make you the Head Omega-mate. I know you probably feel like you’ve already chosen sides. But going with us is the real commitment. You’re already changing because of the bite. Things won’t ever be the same if you make that choice.”

Silence hung in the air, Talia looked as torn as Stiles felt. He didn’t know where to begin to understand his own feelings.

“You’d be okay with me not going?” Stiles asked, though it came out like a statement. Talia laughed with no humor.

“I’d be okay if you were happy. I don’t want you to feel like you don’t have a choice because of the bond. You deserve to have a life that you choose. Derek would want the same thing.”

Stiles pulled at his hair, shoulder shaking slightly. Could he even go back to what his life was? Did he want to?

“Deaton estimates that Derek will be mostly back to normal in five days. We leave on the sixth day. Go back home and think about it. If you decide to come with us, be back here on the fifth day, with your things packed. If not, wait and Derek will go to see you before we all leave, and Deaton can give you the meds you’ll need to live apart. They are cheaper that way.”

“I can’t see him now?” Stiles closed his eyes, feeling the burn in his chest.

“With his wolf still in control, it’s probably not a good idea. He’s sedated, but if his wolf scents you, things might not go well. He’s…well…it’s been hard on him without you.”

Stiles rubbed at his eyes again, sniffing while backing up. “Right, well. I’m just gonna go before I lose it. I. uh. I’ll maybe be seeing you later. But um-“ Stiles looked up to see Talia’s watery eyes and felt his own do the same.

“Thank you.” Before he could have another breakdown, Stiles turned and left, feeling like he was being torn away.

He had four days to pick a path that would change his life permanently, and forever. Stiles could barely breathe.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooooooo explanations, I love youuuuu. What did you guys think?!?! I have a fair bit of the next chapter done so hopefully I get that up soon! I am SO SORRY for the wait! Love you all!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are my lovelies, the very last chapter. I have to tell you all, there is something really amazing about being able to create something for others to enjoy. Writing is very much a form of therapy for me, and seeing your amazing comments come in brought such happy moments into days that really needed it.  
> I hope that this fic, as smut filled and indulgent as it is, brought all of you some level of joy. We all have lives none of us know about, but being able to share in this together really makes me happy.  
> I'll say my goodbyes in the end notes, so see you down there!
> 
> For the last time, enjoy :)

Chapter 21

* * *

 

In _New Moon_ , when Edward left Bella, she was like a husk of a human. There was that whole dramatic transition with her sitting in a chair as the seasons passed, eyes hollow.

Stiles could laugh at himself if he wasn’t in the middle of a world of turmoil because, he was the real-life version of that. Except his seasons were days and his pain was a lot less put together.

Stiles had thrashed his room in anger at one point, and ended up crying in the corner the next. His dad kept calling and bringing over dinner.

He was supposed to go over tonight. Stiles hadn’t left his apartment is three days and his dad was getting grey hairs just witnessing it.

He had the rest of the day to decide. Stiles had gone back and forth and back in forth in his mind. He was stuck between two lives. One provided security and familiarity.

He had built it himself, and was immensely proud of that. But, then there was the possibility of a new life. One with Derek.

It would be insanity in more ways than one. For all intents and purposes, he would be an accessory to whatever crimes they committed. If the government was really going to make discriminatory legislation, he would be considered a rebel.

Then, of course, he would be hunted, like all werewolves. With all the cons, Stiles wondered why he was having so much trouble deciding.

The was obviously because Derek came with one option and not the other. The man was his Alpha now, well, his wolf was.

But, Derek was still his soul bonded partner, that would never change. Stiles had never been one of the people who believed they needed a mate.

He could be perfectly satisfied alone. So, not being able to mate anyone else wasn’t a problem. Could he be happy without him though? Could he choose not to be with him and not regret that decision?

Then, there was the Hales. Talia was his mother’s best friend, and the entire pack had shown him how willing they were to accept him. To be his family.

There were so many reasons to say no, but regardless of how often he went over it, Stiles felt no closer to a decision. So, the cycle went on into the afternoon and before Stiles could blink, it was time to go to his dad’s.

He didn’t even remember the drive over as he parked the jeep in the driveway and got out. John met him at the door, giving him a reassuring hug before serving the Thai food he’d bought.

Stiles loved his dad, but the man was never one to cook.

“Pretty sure chow mein isn’t low carb dad.”

“And I’m pretty sure that my doctor is a lizard person. I need some damn noodles.” Stiles rolled his eyes and laughed, but the sound was empty.

John sighed, pulling some food into his mouth while he stared at Stiles.

“…What?”

“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” John didn’t know about Talia’s proposition. He’d freak out and tie him to a chair if he did. “I know it has something to do with Derek, how is he?”

“I told you, he’s okay. Alive, furry, maybe his bushy tail is a tad flat. But, overall he’s fine.”

“Then why are you here, looking like death?” John looked unconvinced, chewing on his noodles.

“Because.” Stiles said quietly, feeling the stress of the past few days catch up with him. “You know what they do, who they are; how could I mate into the family? And not just to anyone, to their damn Head Alpha heir. I would lose the life I have now.”

John was silent, his eyes intense but thoughtful.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but would that be a bad thing?” Stiles’ chopsticks stopped midway to his mouth, his eyes wide and shocked. “Stiles, you worked hard to become a detective, most aren’t able to do that by their 30s. I believe you love the work. You love solving problems other people can’t and you love helping people. That’s all still true. But, you’re bored.”

Stiles reared back, feeling defensive. John held up his hands. “Calm down. Listen to me. Before you went on this trip, you were doing a lot of busy work, lots of standard cases. That’s partly due to your age but I know you were looking into the FBI. You like action but wanted more than what a police job could give you. To be honest, I never heard you more excited than when you called me these past weeks. Sure, you were stressed, and you made me worry, but you were engaged. Hell, have you even been taking your meds?”

Stiles shook his head slowly, he hadn’t even noticed the absence of the Ritalin.

“Because whatever you were doing allowed you to focus all your energy. I just think it wouldn’t be such a bad idea if you tried starting new somewhere. Derek’s in the FBI right? Under ulterior motives but still, he does his job well. Though, who know what’s going to happen now.”

Stiles’ voice was slow, because he couldn’t exactly understand what was happening. “You were so against my even working with Derek. Now you want me to drop the life I have here, to go make one with him and the Hales?”

John nodded, bemused with himself. “I still resent them for what happened with your mother, but I’m not stupid. It wasn’t their fault, and despite their unlawful shortcomings, I know they aren’t bad people. They don’t hurt innocents. They protect their own. There could be worse places for you. And you’re his mate now. I don’t want to see you with having to take daily shots or worse, a tube in your side. I want you to be happy. I think Derek makes you happy.”

Stiles felt emotion squeeze in the back of his throat. He’d been doing so good pushing back the feelings and the truth of him leaving.

 “What’s making this so hard for you?” John put down his chopsticks, urging Stiles with his eyes to be honest and the Omega couldn’t hold back anymore.

“It’s too dangerous for them to stay. They are leaving the day after tomorrow. If I want to go with them, I have to go tomorrow. I have no idea where they are going, but it’s far away. I won’t be able to see you often.” Stiles bit his lip, breath rushing out of him.

John’s hand’s tightened into fists, the reality of the situation setting in. Several minutes passed with thoughts washing through their minds.

“I love you. You are the only family I have left. So, I want you to listen to me when I say this. I want you to go.”

Stiles inhaled, about to argue but his dad put up a hand. “I want to show you something, maybe it will help.”

Stiles was utterly confused but he was silent as John walked him out of the dining room and into the basement.

The stairs creaked, and dust rocketed upwards as their feet hit the wood. John flipped on a flimsy light, one fit for a cheap horror flick.

They had never had a whole lot of stuff, so other than a few boxes, there wasn’t much down there. John walked over to one of the boxes, pulling out a small rectangular tin with a code lock on it.

He turned the dials until the lock snapped open and he was able to pull it off. John handed the plain box to Stiles who took it.

“I’ll be upstairs. Take a look through that and…don’t overthink.” The Alpha patted him on the shoulder before walking back up.

Stiles went to sit on one of the steps, blowing a thick layer of dust off the top which made him cough like an idiot.

He popped open the top, which couldn’t have been opened since the day it was first closed. What the hell was in it?

A small brown bag, a tiny green bow tie, and a pile of photos. Everything was covered in a sheen of old dust and Stiles sneezed into his arm before reaching for the bow tie.

It was mini, for a child. The green was his favorite shade, it had probably been his as a child. Why was his dad showing him a box of his childhood stuff?

He flipped over the photos and felt a bolt of electricity run through his arm. Oh. This was why. Starring back at him were picture after picture of him and Derek as kids.

The wolf was a good few years older than him, but they still had the rounded faces of youth. In all of them, they were smiling from ear to ear.

Pictures of them playing in the forest, messing around with food in the kitchen, or taking naps together. Derek had his arms wrapped around the tiny version of Stiles in all of them.

There were a few where Derek was shifted. Stiles cupped a hand over his mouth, gazing at memories he didn’t even have, or at the very least couldn’t recall.

His mom was even in some of them, goofy smiling at the camera like the maniac that she was. It made everything in Stiles’ body seize up.

With shaky hands he put the photos down and reached for the paper bag, smoothing it and reaching inside.

Stiles’ hand wrapped around a solid but smooth object. He pulled it out to reveal a rubber duck. It was exactly like the one Derek had in his bathroom, just a few dimensions smaller.

Black with red eyes and horns. Stiles turned it in his hands and on the bottom, was a Triskele drawn in white sharpie. It was squiggly, but clear.

Stiles had a sharp intake of breath, memory flashing back to what Derek had told him.

_“The Triskele. Everyone in the main pack has a tattoo and I put it on anything that means something to me.”_

Stiles sat and stared at the toy, cheeks wet and eyes glowing a pale gold. He couldn’t remember Derek giving this to him, couldn’t remember any of their time together.

Stiles thought about how devastating that must be to the Alpha. He had stayed with Stiles, protected him, all while never seeing a glint of recognition in his eyes. And, he had fully expected to say goodbye at the end of it.

It made sense why John had shown him this. Stiles belonged with Derek, he always had. He also wanted his memories back, even the painful ones. The only way to do that was to be with the Hales.

Stiles finished mulling over the pictures and rubbing his thumb over the mini bow tie before walking back up to the main floor.

His dad was waiting at the dining table, sipping coffee. He looked over, eyes certain. Stiles sat across from him, putting the box on the table.

“That bow tie was from him you know?”

“From Derek?” Stiles asked.

John grunted, “He got it for you because it’s the same color as his eyes. That’s why green has always been your favorite color.” He shook his head. “I should have known you would find each other again. Should have never tried to stop it.”

A silence hung in the air. Stiles’ decision already made and both knew what it was.

“Are you going to be okay?” He asked his dad who nodded immediately.

“I never wanted you to know what really happened. I didn’t want you to be in any danger. But, I was soul bonded too. If anyone had tried to keep me from Claud, I would have killed them. It was never fair of me to try to do it to you. So, I will be more than okay, because I know you’ll be happy. The department already knows you may not come back because of the ongoing investigation, so don’t worry about them. I’ll be in touch with you and Talia, so we’ll see each other as often as possible.”

Stiles nodded, knowing he would do everything he could to visit as often as possible. “Thank you…I don’t blame you for keeping it from me. I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with mom’s murder when I was a kid, and I’m sorry that you went through all of that alone. I promise to visit, okay?”

Stiles stood up and hugged John, feeling a new pain bloom in his chest. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too kiddo,” John’s voice was hoarse but happy. “Now, let’s go get you packed.”

~ ~ ~

The knot in Stiles’ stomach was painful, his nerves making his body shake. John had driven them down to Beacon Hills the next day, Stiles’ life packed away in the bed of the truck.

They were now parked in front of the Hale’s house, John remembering where it was. Wolves, in different states of their shift, stood all around them.

They gave enough space not to seem aggressive, but they were clearly stating their presence. It only took a moment before the front door flung open and out bolted Talia Hale.

Her eyes were wild, a deep grin on her face, she almost looked like a child. Stiles got out of the truck just in time for her to fling herself on him.

“Thank god!” She said, squeezing him hard. “Oh my god I’m so glad. You have no idea how it’s been the past few days.” She went on, pulling back.

“Where’s Derek?” Stiles asked, feeling insistent. Talia nodded, looking over her shoulder. Stiles followed her eyes to see one very tired wolf walk onto the porch.

As exhausted as Derek looked, his eyes were very much awake and alert. Stiles wasted no time before sprinting. His eyes racked over the man as each step fell on the ground.

Red eyes. Tired but strong stance. Open arms. Stiles collided with his Alpha, legs wrapping around the wolf’s waist like a vice.

His scent was a welcome punch to the nose, and Stiles pushed his face into the crook of the Alpha’s neck with vigor.

Something entirely new burned in his chest, expanding outward and locking him in. He was committed now, wholeheartedly, and he felt it.

Stiles knew who the Hales were, knew things he wasn’t even aware he’d been ignorant of, and this was his choice.

No feeling of hesitance or regret remained. Derek seemed to know it because he squeezed even tighter, inhaling the Omega’s scent and rumbling a pleased growl.

“Derek, I had the back cabin cleaned out. Dinner is at 7.” Talia hollered, and Stiles blushed, realizing that Derek’s hands were very much on his ass and he was wrapped around the wolf like an octopus.

He tried pushing back but the Alpha was having none of it. He began turning around and walking toward the front door.

“W-Wait, what about my dad?” Stiles hadn’t even said goodbye. Talia, having easily heard him, waved her had.

“He’s staying for dinner, don’t worry.” The female smiled at John who shrugged, but looked happy. Stiles finally looked at Derek who was staring at him as they made their way through the house and out the back door.

“How-um…How are you feeling?” Stiles asked, feeling oddly shy. Derek’s eyes hadn’t faded, and he could feel that his hadn’t either.

“Your late.” Derek replied, legs moving quickly under Sties.

“Yes well…my dad showed me the rubber duck and bow tie. Was kinda indecisive before that.” Talking so casually felt almost wrong, after everything that happened.

The Alpha nodded, “The tie was my idea. The ducks were yours, though I drew the Triskele.” Stiles went uncharacteristically quiet. There was so many things to say that he ended up not being able to think of anything.

Derek didn’t seem to mind though, so Stiles took the opportunity to look around the forest. The trees were scattered everywhere, overcast sunlight fighting to touch the ground.

The footfalls of Derek’s feet barley made any sound, Stiles was sure he could be completely silent if he tried. He wondered if he would teach him that.

The mere idea of Derek being able to teach him things, of being with him long enough to do that, made Stiles feel giddy.

“We used to come out here all the time.” Derek suddenly spoke up and Stiles looked down at him.

“To the cabin?”

Derek nodded. “I wasn’t really allowed to take you anywhere far off, but we always snuck out. That was also your idea, of course. We weren’t allowed to be alone together at first. They were worried that my lack of control as a child would end up hurting you. But once you were a toddler, you would pull me down the stairs and out the back while our family watched TV. You and I would play hide and seek, even though I had to pretend I couldn’t smell you. I never let anyone into the cabin after you left. That’s why it had to be cleaned out.”

Stiles frowned, “Did you ever go back?”

“I did, whenever I missed you. I stopped going when I turned eighteen, when I finally realized you weren’t coming back.”

“Why were you okay with that? Why didn’t you ever try to…get me back?” Derek’s hands squeezed on his ass, causing him to jump but push himself more into the Alpha’s chest.

“I wasn’t okay with it, not at first. I actually shifted and attacked your dad, refusing to let him take you. But, you screamed all the time: in your sleep, when you saw my mom, sometimes at random. I couldn’t take it anymore when you couldn’t even see me without losing it. It was like you wanted to be with me, so I could comfort you, but you couldn’t stand being reminded of what happened. So, I let you go, so you could be happy.”

That pissed Stiles off. It was easy to say he could have gotten over it, he recognized that he probably wouldn’t have been able to, not when he was that young.

But, to know that Derek had to endure years without him, all while knowing Sties had forgotten him, it made the Omega want to slap himself.

“If you say sorry, I’m dropping you.” Derek said, and Stiles thumped him on the head.

“…I want to remember.” Derek jerked his head up, but Stiles quickly continued, “maybe not about my mom, I don’t know about that. But, I want to remember my memories with you. I don’t like that I can’t remember, and you can.”

Derek stared at him for a while, slowly waking up a pair of steps. “We’ll talk to Deaton when we get settled down then.”

Stiles smiled, looking around at the spotless cabin. It was rustic looking, with a real cozy feeling about it. The smell of the air reminded him of Derek, if a bit stale.

The Alpha put him down, letting Sties slowly wander about. He was starting to feel his stomach lighten with nerves, feeing Derek’s eyes on him.

It only got worse when big hands slid onto his waist, wrapping around so his fingers spanned the length of Sties’ belly who took a sharp breath in.

“D-Der…um. I know that we need to-uh- you know, bond.”

“If you don’t want to, we won’t.” Derek said behind him, and Stiles whirled around. He balled his fists in Derek’s shirt, pulling the Alpha down to kiss him.

His mate was quick to catch up, big arms curling around Stiles and pressing him hard into his chest. Stiles pulled back, face hot and hands now clutched on Derek’s biceps.

“You’re nervous?” Derek’s breath ghosted over his ear and Stiles pushed his face into the man’s chest in embarrassment. Which was ridiculous.

They’d been together before, but for some reason, Stiles was hyper aware of Derek now. A very inhuman growl rumbled through the body in front of him and Stiles’ body reacted in milliseconds.

He was wet, completely ready to be taken. His body was quickly heating up, shivers running over each of his limbs and breath coming faster and faster.

Stiles looked p at Derek, confused. This wasn’t his heat, but then what was happening? His eyes met a pair of glowing red orbs and the faintest glimpse of fangs from within Derek’s slightly parted mouth. 

Oh. Right. Derek may not be his bonded mate yet, but his wolf was. Stiles couldn’t help but have his own eyes light up, his nails digging into Derek’s arms, and his mouth opening to let out a slow but breathy pant.

An idea lit up his mind and Stiles gave a light push. He got nowhere and had to retract in earnest before the wolf relaxed his grip.

The second Stiles was out of the embrace, he turned and bolted. Excitement and adrenaline shot through his veins as he bounded up the stairs, two at a time.

An equally thrilled, if a bit intimidating, growl came from behind and the sound of heavy footsteps quickly followed.

Slick tracked down Stiles’ thighs, soaking his jeans. The strength of his bond with Derek’s wolf was the cause, otherwise he would really think his heat was back.

Like a were himself, Stiles ran into the room that smelled the most of Derek, barreling toward the entrance way with the Alpha hot on his heels.

He never made it. Derek tackled him and hauled him upwards. Stiles shouted before being tossed on the bed, face down, the bigger male dragging his ankles so he was at the very egde.

He started sinking into the plush mattress, air pumping out of him as he laughed. The feeling of claws had the laugh dying in his throat, especially as the blades cut through his shirt and jeans.

Stiles yelped, struggling but Derek was having none of it. A thick palm clasped over the Omega’s neck, pushing him down so he could finish stripping Stiles.

“Derek! Oh my god!” The same hand pulled him up, so Stiles was arched back, his legs splayed obscenely over the bed, his slick seeping into the covers.

He swallowed thickly as a tongue slid up his ear. “I’ll buy you new ones.” Derek’s voice was contorted, but it was definitely him. “Or you’ll wear mine.”

The thought of being cloaked in Derek’s scent spoke to an inner part of him, making Stiles blush but refuse to say anything else.

The sound of more shredding clothes came, and Stiles couldn’t help but reach down for his dick. A warning growl was close to his ear and the Omega paused.

“I didn’t give you permission to touch yourself.” Stiles gasped. Derek was an Alpha, but the dominance he was displaying was making Stiles shake.

“B-But-ah!” Stiles bucked as a finger came directly over his rim.

 “Finger yourself.” Derek ordered, pushing Stiles slightly forward so he could get a good view. This made Stiles arch even more, which was near painful, but it made him feel exposed in the best way.

So, he pushed his ass out as far as it could go, one hand bracing on his thigh, and the other reaching around back.

He slid his fingers down the cleft of his ass, over the swollen rim. He slowly rubbed it, moaning, before sliding two digits inside.

A gust of air left his mouth in a rush, Stiles’ eyes fluttering closed. Derek made a sound of satisfaction, finishing with his own clothes which fell to the floor.

At this angle, Stiles could only reach so deep inside himself. He made a small sound of frustration before Derek pushed his neck, causing him to fall forward.

The Alpha caught his hips and chest, slowly resting him down on his shoulders with his ass up high, his fingers still buried inside.

“Good boy, keep going.” Derek murmured, before getting on the bed and pushing himself up to his knees. Stiles breathed heavily into the covers, fingers now able to push deeper.

His hips snapped back, fucking himself on his fingers. The Omega looked back, craning his neck to see Derek kneeling behind him, a hand stroking his cock while his eyes were trained on Stiles.

Stiles’ toes curled, feeling the full weight of Derek’s gaze. To be desired like this, was something Stiles knew he’d never find in anyone else.

It made him lift himself up, almost in a daze as he reached back for the wolf. Derek reached out a hand which Stiles quickly latched onto.

He dragged Derek’s thumb into his mouth, sucking hard and swirling his tongue over the calloused pad. Derek pulled him forward, Stiles’ body swiveling around until he was facing the other.

Derek was sitting on his haunches, but he rose up, his thick thighs flexing. Stiles wasted no time, spreading his legs once more so he could get low.

Derek fed him his cock, pushing it into Stiles’ mouth and clasping onto the back of head. The Omega groaned at the taste, salty and warm.

He used his tongue to brush the underside of the tip, his lips pulling him in deeper. Stiles opened his throat up, swallowing Derek down as far as he could.

He could have probably deepthroated him if he wasn’t so damn big. Stiles hadn’t ever done this to an Alpha before, much less his mate. But, it didn’t seem to matter.

One look up and Stiles felt chills roll down his spine. Derek was staring down at him, hand curled in Stiles’ hair.

His mouth was parted, fangs bright and sharp. The red eyes almost pulsed down at Stiles whose hips swayed slightly, enough to catch Derek’s attention.

A big palm soothed over Stiles’ back, dipping down to his ass as fingers, larger and longer than Stiles’, pushed their way in.

The position pushed Stiles further down, making Derek’s cock press up against the back of his throat. Stiles used his tongue to swirl around the girth, head bobbing up and down.

Saliva filled his mouth, the sounds mixing with that of Derek fingering him so the air around them was filled with the noises.

Stiles pulled off, licking down until he reached Derek’s balls. He pulled one into his mouth, tugging slightly. Derek tensed above him, breathing hard.

Stiles started whimpering when Derek began curling his fingers, rubbing only hard enough to tease.  Derek’s scent was strong, it was making Stiles’ head fuzzy and he lifted his face up before lightly biting down just below Derek’s naval, letting out a needy mewl.

The Alpha pulled his fingers from him, shoving them back into Sties’ mouth, and using his other hand to pull the Omega up.

Stiles sucked on the fingers, tasting his own sweet slick. Derek pulled them out after a moment, leaning down to bring their lips together.

Unlike the high arousal pumping through them both, the kiss was slow, deliberate. Derek teased him, only licking his mouth very slightly until Stiles was completely resting on his chest, trying to push himself further into Derek.

The wolf’s fangs were sharp, but Derek was very alert, ensuring Stiles would be okay even if the other was slowly losing his focus.

Stiles keened suddenly, unable to wait any longer. Derek let him go so that he could turn around, press his chest back into the bed, and spread himself open.

“Fuck me, Alpha.” Not even Stiles’ voice sounded completely normal, but Derek growled back at him. “Please.”

With that, Derek snapped. He grabbed his cock, lined it up with Stiles’ hole, and started pushing. Stiles’ body opened up immediately, letting Derek sink in with little effort.

Stiles’ spine curved sharply, lungs expanding in his chest and mouth ajar in a silent scream. The Alpha’s hips pulled back and snapped forward, starting a punishing pace.

Derek was rough, rougher than before, his spine curving up with every thrust as the bed struggled to hold them.

Stiles’ hands let go of his ass, returning to the side of his head to try and keep his body in one place. But he was on fire, Derek’s cock splitting him wide and rubbing over his prostrate with every glide.

The sounds of their breathing and moaning made him tighten up. Suddenly, Derek grabbed one of Stiles’ pale thighs and flipped the Omega over.

Now on his back, Stiles got a full view of his mate before him. Stiles’ eyes racked over Derek’s body, from the V of his hips slamming into him, to the sweat making the Alpha’s hair wet.

Stiles reached down, fingers able to brush over the dips of Derek’s abs. A hand pinched at Stiles’ nipples and he bucked with the sudden sensation.

“Feel good baby?” Derek said, and Stiles rolled his hips, breathing out hard and nodding. The wolf’s hips started a slow grind, Derek raising Stiles’ legs so they slung over his shoulders.

The pace was driving Stiles crazy, the push and pull too slow to build him up but too fast to let him settle. Derek dragged it out, minutes passing by before he would increase his speed.

By the time Stiles’ body was really moving with Derek’s, he was a mess, strung out on the bed while writhing under the Alpha.

Derek tossed Stiles’ legs down, letting them hook onto his hips while the man leaned forward, placing two forearms next to Stiles head.

Finally, he let loose, slamming himself into the Omega who craned his neck back and cried out. Their mouths connected in a desperate need to be closer, their foreheads pressed together and their breath hot between them.

Stiles felt himself coming toward the edge, his body tightening up. He could feel Derek’s knot swelling too, tugging on his rim with every harsh pull.

The man nudged Stiles’ head up, tongue licking up along the pale skin. “I want my mark on the front.” His voice was hoarse, still warped in the way that told Stiles the wolf was also very present.

“P-Please Alpha.” Stiles clenched up, Derek using his claves to force the knot inside at the same time as his fangs pierced through the side of Stiles’ neck.

The bond, which had felt so full before, now locked into place, making Stiles scream out. The pain of the bite soon tinged with pleasure, Derek able to share those feelings now that they were sealed together.

It was like nothing Stiles had ever felt, or would ever feel again. Something he could only have with Derek. Saliva that leaked over the fangs and into Stiles’ blood stream was changing him.

Stiles could feel his hearing turn sharper, his sense of touch magnified, and he knew that when his vision returned to him, it would be clearer than it ever had.

Coming down from a high like that was slow, but Derek was with him the whole time. Stiles could feel thick palms soothing over his body, rubbing out muscles so they wouldn’t develop aches.

The Alpha turned them over, the knot shifting inside of Stiles’ oversensitive hole so that he bucked away. Derek grabbed his stomach, tucking his body into his, chest to back.

Stiles shivered, breath coming out in stutters as Derek ran his clawed fingers over the length of the Omega’s body.

They laid there like that, Stiles adjusting to his senses and soaking up Derek presence. It was odd, because he was so comfortable with Derek, like nothing had changed.

But at the same time, he could feel something inside him had opened, something that connected him to Derek in a way impossible to describe.

When he finally felt mostly normal, Stiles wiggled his hips, laughing when Derek hissed, his big hands squeezing Stiles’ side.

“I wanna do that again.” Stiles nearly slurred, and Derek bit at the back of his neck lightly, right over the larger mate mark.

The Alpha chuckled, “We’ll have plenty of time. You’re hungry though, so once I can pull out, we are heading back for dinner.”

“…How did you know I was hungry?” Stiles’ stomach hadn’t growled, not that he’d been exactly coherent for a while.

Derek put a hand over his stomach. “I can feel it. We’ll feel each other’s emotions from now on. They are dull, and if we are far apart we may not be able to feel them unless they are intense. But you can easily tell.”

Huh. That made Stiles oddly happy, and he nuzzled his temple back against Derek’s jaw. They didn’t speak much as the knot shrunk back down, just touched.

Their hands glided over each other, their breath slowing down as it fanned over their bodies. Eventually, Derek was able to pull out, Stiles gasping with renewed arousal.

He looked back at Derek who just laughed. “Later baby, food first.” Such open affection from the Alpha had Stiles blushing again.

Derek helped Stiles get dressed, his legs a little shaky. That took a fair bit of time because Derek insisted on ghosting his hands over Stiles’ ass and waist.

“I have something to give you before we go.” Derek said, and Stiles gazed up at him. He sat Stiles down, who was happily drowning in Derek’s clothes, before walking off into the closet.

He came back with a small black gift box, its edges slightly frayed. Stiles reached out for it, fingers rubbing over the cardboard.

“Before you open it, you need to know. We are headed up to Canada. There are several rural packs that are allied with the Hales. We all plan to gather there and use it as a base of sorts.”

Stiles took a deep breath. “Okay. Well, I’m ready. But, ah, what does that have to do with this?” Stiles gestured to the box.

“I bought that for your 18th birthday, when I stopped coming to the cabin. It’s been here ever since. I never planned on seeing you, much less giving it to you. But, it made me feel better. You might never know who I was, but I didn’t want to forget you. I know we are already bonded, but I don’t want you to feel trapped. I-“

Stiles raised a hand, eyes serious. “Don’t even say it. I made this decision, because it’s what I want. Do you remember when I crashed my ATV by your house?”

Derek nodded. “That was staged. I was investigating you guys, trying to find something to incriminate the Hales. See, I’ve been obsessed with you and your family since I was little. I never knew why, I just chalked it up to be because of my dad being a cop and my wanting to be a detective. But that wasn’t it. I just wanted to be with you again, even if I didn’t know it. I know you’re not a saint, but the justice system isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. I think the last few weeks attest to that. What I do know is that the only way I can be happy is to be with you. So, don’t say anything like me being trapped, or having to think about this more. I made the decision when I first cam back to Beacon Hills.”

Derek paused, staring at him. He reached out a hand to rub a thumb over Stiles’ mouth. “I love you.” Stiles breathed in hard, cheeks lighting up red.

“I love you too.” He replied quietly, because he did. There was no denying that anymore, and he had no desire to. Stiles looked down, slowly prying open the box.

His eyes caught onto what was inside and he busted out laughing. Stiles covered his mouth, affection squeezing deep in his chest.

Sitting inside the box, was a black bow tie, covered with a patterned fabric that had guns all over it. Derek must have gotten it thinking it was the only way they would be connected. Their two worlds in one.

Stiles looked back up at Derek who was smiling down at him. “Guns and bow ties, huh?”

Derek leaned forward to kiss him. “That’s our life now.”

The Omega had no clue what was going to happen in the future, but as long as he had his Alpha, he knew things would always work themselves out. This was the life he wanted to have, alongside Derek.

Stiles grinned. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :') Thank you all for sticking with me and for leaving comments that help motivate me and lift me up. It's been a wonderful series of months, watching this story develop. 
> 
> Now, before I get more sappy, I will say that this story was very open ended, as I wanted it to be. Sequels are always possible, but I can't promise anything. I do, however, have a lengthy Sterek one-shot in the works that has to do with play-mating, so if that interests you, be on the look out. Now that I have dabbled in the more criminal spectrum of fanfiction, I am thinking of going full on Hale mafia family with mob boss or hitman Derek! Possibly paired with a hacker Stiles? Or maybe a Stiles sold at an Omega auction? Truth be told I want to explore a darker Derek with a more submissive (but still fiery and intelligent) Stiles. So, if you'd like, let me know what you think of those ideas! 
> 
> Finally, I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I have good things coming to me in 2018 already, and I dearly wish the same for you. Again, thank you for spending this time with me, and letting my story help you escape from whatever goes on in your lives. I couldn't write every week if I didn't know I had such amazing and excited readers waiting. Much love to you all. Sterek forever. 
> 
> -LunaRaven ^-^

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are the blood that runs through my vines, so any thoughts that you have would be greatly appreciated down below!! 
> 
> Also, my life is not nearly enough together for me to have a posting schedule, unfortunately. However, I never want you to wait too long and I am quite the fan of cliffhangers so I will try to update as fast as possible. Mistakes also plaque me so I apologize in advance.
> 
> My lovely muffin cakes, I hope you enjoyed that and are excited for more. I never know how to feel about a story when I start it, so I am truly just happy to be at it again. 
> 
> Hope you are having a great week dolls, see ya soon! <3


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